I Trusted You (Peter Pan)
by Queenofthelamas
Summary: All heroes need a tragic backstory. All stories need a knight in shining armour. Unfortunately, in this tale, our protagonist is no heroine, and her saviour is no hero.
1. SummaryAuthor's Note

**Full Summary**

 _Nothing could ruin Cassandra's good mood, not even Emma Swan or her Storybrooke friends. Not when Cassandra was with Peter._

 _For he was hers and she was his._

All heroes need a tragic backstory.

All stories need a knight in shining armour.

Cassandra had her troubled past. She had her knight in shining armour, if one could call him that. Unfortunately, in this tale, our protagonist is no heroine, and her saviour is no hero.

She has a thirst for revenge, and it just so happens to coincide with Peter Pan's plot for eternal youth. All she needs to do, to fulfil both their wishes, is help Pan kill the Truest Believer.

The fact that the Truest Believer was also the twin she had never met, placed no burden on her shoulders.

 **Author's Note**

Just a couple things you should know before confusing yourself after investing a proportion of your life into reading this fanfiction (beware spoilers):

1\. Probably the most hated plot twist in all of OUAT, particularly amongst the Peter Pan fans, we all know which one I'm talking about. To confirm: I am erasing the tie between Peter and Rumpel. Not just so I can sleep at night without picturing my OC with that old Malcolm, but because for this story line it would just be wrong if Peter and Rumpel were related. (Think about the family tree, people).

2\. To be clear, Henry is Cassandra's twin. BUT they are not the same age (calm yourself I know how biology works, bear with). This is so that I don't have Peter being in love with an eleven year old, which I'm sure you will all appreciate. The explanation for this phenomenon...exists- I promsie- but I can't give it away, you'll have to read.

3\. This fanfic WILL be completed! I swear. The main parts have already been written, all I need to do is last minute editing before posting. Updates will be at least once a week, and each chapter coincides with an episode of the first half of Season Three.

I believe that's all. Now for the necessity of every fanfic, an absolute classic:

 **Disclaimer: The sad and bitter truth is that I do not own any of the Once Upon A Time characters or plot line. All I am lucky enough to own is Cassandra and a couple other minor OCs which I'm sure you won't have any trouble spotting.**


	2. Prologue

The air was still and quiet as he sat in the shadows, his back against the rough tree. Deep in thought, he waited for the boy. He chuckled grimly at the frustrating turn of events. Everything had been planned- perfectly arranged. Unfortunately, the Evil Queen had to go and mess it all up.

He sensed the blond's presence before he even heard the snap of twigs. But that was nothing, he could sense everything on the island. It was only a small slither of the power he held. And yet...

He was brought out of his thoughts as the crunch of leaves came to a halt.

"You called." Felix's voice drawled, awaiting instructions from his leader. His frame remaining rigid, Pan's eyes flickered to his follower. In the eyes of the boy, Pan could plainly see the loyalty Felix felt towards him. A surge of pride built within him as he noted the utmost respect evident on the Lost Boy's features.

"It's about the boy." Pan scowled.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific." To any other, the Lost Boy's face would have appeared to remain blank. Pan however, after having known the boy for decades, could easily detect the hint of a smirk on Felix's lips.

"Don't toy with me Felix, you know who I mean." The leader snarled, his face contorting into one of rage. Normally, Pan's expression would strike fear into those unfortunate enough to witness it. The blond boy was an exception to this for his smirk only grew.

"My apologies," Felix said, insincerity laced his voice. "Go on."

"Regina kept him." His words were quiet; his tone was dark and furious. Pan was livid and even Felix, who was normally immune to Pan's wrath, sensed this and suddenly felt on edge.

Pan's whole demeanour radiated the stress he felt: his shoulders were hunched; his posture was tense; anger rolled off him in waves. This hadn't happened before. Usually he was in complete control, yet at that moment, he was at loss for what to do. This perplexing puzzle gave rise to the worry that maybe Peter Pan could experience defeat. Maybe Peter Pan _could_ fail.

Horrified that such a doubt of his power had entered his mind, Pan stomped it down with disgust. This was why he had called Felix. The one person he trusted most in the world. Sometimes, Felix managed to see things even Pan was blind to. He could see paths that even Pan did not know he could take.

"And we still have the girl?" At last Felix broke the silence. Pan rapidly lifted his gaze from where it had mindlessly watched the soil beneath him. He knew that look on Felix's face. It wasn't an expression of concern or dread, but rather assurance. Pan suspected that Felix had a plan, a plan that would only be possible if he gave Felix the response he was waiting for.

"Yes." The single syllable came out steady and slow. His lack of understanding irked him. He didn't have the vaguest idea what the Lost Boy had in mind. He raced through the possibilities, wanting to figure out what he himself had missed. What advantage could the girl possibly give them?

"What exactly did you have in mind for her?" Felix asked, feigning naivety to Pan's lack of a plan.

Shooting him the darkest look he could muster, Pan growled. "Do you need me to say it, Felix?" He stood up from the ground so as to almost reach the height of the boy in front of him. "I don't know. You hear me?" He snarled in the boy's face. "I don't know! It doesn't matter what we do with her anyway, all we need is the boy and he's gone!"

Before Felix could response, Pan felt it. His shadow had returned to the island. And it had brought someone with it. It had brought _her._

"Michael and John have sent her here, so I could decide what to do with her." He sneered, not liking how clueless he felt.

"Couldn't we use her?" Felix asked as Pan's shadow swooped into the clearing, with a child in its arms. "To find the boy I mean."

"Blood magic? Quite risky don't you think," Pan took the baby from the shadow's arms and into his own, "with the boy being guarded by the Evil Queen."

"Not quite what I had in mind." Pan didn't even bother to look up at Felix as the blond spoke. He watched the sleeping child in his arms. She looked so peaceful, wrapped in her soft pink blanket, her face holding the innocence only a new-born could possess. She was completely oblivious to the destruction in the world. She had no understanding of how frustrating Pan found her existence; how frustrated Pan was that he was stuck with her and not her brother.

Seeing he wasn't going to receive a response, Felix continued. "I was referring to the prophecy." That caught Pan's attention. The boy's head shot up, his eyes wide.

"What about it? She has nothing to do with it." Furrowing his eyebrows in irritation, Pan's mind sifted through the details of the prophecy. The descendant of Snow White would lead them to the heart of the Truest Believer. That had been the Swan girl, she'd given birth to the one they needed. They already knew the Truest Believer would be a boy and so, the twin sister played no part in this story. She was irrelevant. An extra piece in the game- discarded so easily, without it making a blind bit of difference to anyone.

"Technically, the Swan girl didn't lead us to the boy, since we never got a hold on him." Felix droned, his voice monotone. "Which would mean the prophecy was false…"

"No." Pan cut in harshly. "The prophecy has to be right." Felix smiled at that, Pan was nearing the correct solution. All he needed was a little nudge in the right direction.

"So, maybe the Swan girl wasn't the right descendant?" Pan looked to him baffled, but Felix didn't spare him a glance. "The prophecy referred to _a_ descendant of Snow White-"

"It never said a direct descendant." Pan gasped, finally comprehending what Felix had been getting at. Grinning at his leader, the Lost Boy nodded.

"The prophecy was misinterpreted." Felix's face returned to its usual blank state as he looked to the child in Pan's arms. A feeling of victory brewed within Pan. He could still have the boy, all he needed was-

"How?" At Felix's inquisitive gaze, the leader expanded on his query. "How could she help us? We've already established blood magic is out of the question."

"I think you know the answer to that."

Pan began to pace around the clearing, subconsciously rocking the child slightly as to not wake her up. The gears in his head turned, whizzing through ideas. The girl will lead them to the boy. But how? She was a baby, what could a baby possibly do for them- oh…

Having solved the final problem, Pan stopped in his tracks and turned slowly to see the mischievous grin on Felix's face.

"She needs to be older." He had figured it out, Peter Pan the boy who never grew up. Of course he had been oblivious to the answer. Why would his mind ever wander to the benefits age could bring? "She needs to go to a realm where time moves faster." He spat, repulsed by the concept.

"And luckily we have a being that can travel realms right here." Felix added eyeing the shadow hovering on the edge of the clearing. He was proud he had helped the boy he looked up to the most- after all, what greater privilege was there than to serve Peter Pan himself?

Pan's expression turned dark and malicious as success was finally within his grasp. How had he doubted his own abilities? It was impossible for things to not go his way. He held out his arms and the shadow took the child from him.

"Watch over her." He commanded the shadow. "She's no use to me dead."

"When should she be brought back?" Its eerie voice asked.

"I need her old enough to search for her brother on her own." He met the eyes of the shadow straight on, he did not back down, why would he? The shadow was his, there was no reason to fear it. He owned it. He was in control.

The shadow gave a single nod and rose higher from the jungle floor. Pan watched as it flew away; a speck of pink amongst a dark smudge, travelling across Neverland's moonlit sky. A venomous smirk grew on his face, his eyes filled with the desperate want- the desperate need- for power. Everlasting power that would grant him eternal youth. Power that would at last be his, after this final victory.

"The board is set. Let the game begin."


	3. Chapter 1

**A/N: '_' is at the start and end of every flashback. '/' is at the start and end of the present day scenes. Don't ask me why- I thought it would make the separation clearer for some reason, despite the flashbacks being in italics anyway...**

Lifting her head from the sand, Cassandra saw a vast stretch of green laid out before her. The emerald green jungle she knew like the back of her hand welcomed her. She cracked a smile. Years had been spent exploring every nook, every cranny. Of course, time was frozen in Neverland, but she marked its passing by the aging of her 'dearest' brother, the one who got it all.

"Slow down, pal. You got nowhere to go." Her attention was drawn to Greg as he caught Henry trying to flee. Did he really think he could escape? Cassandra got to her feet, dusting sand from her trousers. Normally she would feel irked by having to endure the confrontation between Henry and Greg, but having returned to the place she could call home, she felt completely at ease. The island had always had a calming effect on her, from the first day she arrived there. She wiped any tranquillity from her face and replaced it with anger. She had a part to play.

"-my family's been to the Enchanted Forest before, and they can get here again." Henry's voice snapped Cassandra out of her daze and she stomped towards the pair. The unwavering belief Henry had in his family was evident in the boy's eyes. A sharp spike of bitterness struck Cassandra; she'd never experienced such resolute faith in another, after having learnt the hard way to never depend on someone. There was only one she'd ever become close enough to put her absolute trust in. And even then, they both had their flaws- their selfish quirks.

"He's right." She snapped, scowling at the man in front of her. Her facade was effortless when it came to dealing with Greg, even the sight of him made exasperation bubble within her.

"Cassa-" Tamara cut in from behind, causing the Cassandra to spin around.

"Shut up!" She spat, glaring venomously at the woman. "You don't get to say a thing, not after what you've done." Tamara flinched, whether it be that she was doing a good job at keeping up her role, or from genuine shock, Cassandra didn't know.

She felt a small hand on her arm and she turned her head to see Henry giving her a calming, sympathetic smile. The corner of Cassandra's lips turned up slightly, feebly attempting to return the gesture. A howl echoed in the distance and Cassandra focused on not giving away any sign of recognition at the familiar noise.

"We're not in the Enchanted Forest. This is Neverland." Tamara directed to Henry. Her words seemed strong but Cassandra noticed how they cracked as the enormity of Neverland began to scare the woman.

"Neverland? You're here to destroy Neverland?" Henry asked, his voice filled with disbelief. Ensuring her expression mimicked that of Henry's, Cassandra mentally rolled her eyes. She couldn't exactly blame Henry for his naivety, he wasn't aware what idiots Greg and Tamara really were. But the only reason the pair had gotten this far in the first place was because they had been tricked and manipulated, like puppets on strings. There was no way anyone could vanquish Neverland. It was indestructible, especially with _him_ as its ruler. Her chest squeezed at the thought of being reunited with the boy that saved her life in more ways than one.

Cassandra glimpsed Greg rummaging through his backpack before handing Tamara the communicator. As Cassandra's thoughts became louder, the mind-nulling conversation between Henry and Greg became muffled. Not long now. She had waited for so long and at last, all that patience was paying off. Now if Tamara and Greg would hurry up and catch on...

"-not getting a status light on this thing." Tamara huffed as she returned the communicator to her partner. Cassandra began to get agitated, Greg and Tamara were certainly taking their time. Couldn't they be in a just a bit more of a hurry? Screaming internally for Greg to pick up the pace, the man opened up the device in his hands and a pile of sand trickled out onto the soft beach they were stood on. Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, things were going to get interesting.

She knew about the device being a fake, after all, filling it with sand had been her idea. Too late, she realised a smirk had slipped onto her face. She glanced to the others worriedly to see if she'd been caught. Unfortunately, Greg was watching her, his eyes narrowed. Rapidly smoothing out her features, she focused her attention on Tamara who was at long last understanding that things just weren't quite right. The woman's face reflected the growing worry within her. Tamara was too absorbed by this anxiety that she paid no attention to the blonde girl next to her. The girl who she'd spent around six months with; the one who had been sent by the Home Office.

"What the hell is this? A toy?" Cassandra fixed her gaze on Tamara's rant. She refused to meet Greg's stare, it would only encourage him to act on his suspicions. Not that him confronting her would change anything. The plan had run too far for its path to be altered.

"It's a good thing you guys don't ask questions." Henry said wittily. Cassandra hated to admit it but that boy and his sass could be quite entertaining. If she knew him under any other circumstance, then she might even go as far as to say she liked him. However, based on their history, (or rather, extreme lack of it) the thought of such fondness sickened her.

"Let's go." Greg hurried, his eyes still watching Cassandra cautiously. "Walk!"

/

 _Cold air circulated the room. The curtains floated as a breeze flew through the open window. Cassandra was freezing in her thin clothes, yet still the six-year-old did not close the murky window. She was determined to wait for her friend. He didn't visit every night but Cassandra always hoped he would show up. Moving away from the gaping window, the small blonde scampered to her bed. She huddled under the scratchy covers, pulling them up to her chin. Her dainty ringlets pooled around her as the girl eagerly awaited her visitor. She didn't look away from the window, not for a second. Cassandra didn't want to miss him, her friend made her happy. He would talk to her as though she was normal. He didn't think she was a freak._

 _Her friend didn't have a name. He had visited her for years and she still just referred to him as 'her friend'. She wasn't even certain at first that he was a he. But the girl had eventually decided he must be, his voice was gruff and deep. He didn't look like a normal man. He was a dark blob, like a shadow but with eyes that glowed._

 _Nobody else liked her friend. Cassandra had once woken one of the other children up to introduce them to him. The stupid girl had screamed and wailed until Madame Nox had run into the room yelling with a giant pointy stick in her hands. Pathetically, the girl had sobbed and blubbered out funny sounds as she pointed to Cassandra. After that Madame Nox had taken the girl out the room to calm her down. The next day Cassandra was removed from the joint bedroom and into her own._

 _A dark blur covered the window and Cassandra beamed, leaping out of her bed. He was here. The only person who didn't call her names or pull her hair. As the bright eyes met her brown ones, the girl's grin grew. She didn't understand why nobody liked her friend, he didn't bite, he didn't even talk much._

 _The shadow man floated to the floor and Cassandra bounded towards him. She grabbed for his hand, it was a funny sensation. The only way her child's mind could describe it was it being like a wall of water: it wasn't solid, nor did her small fingers pass straight through. Whether she was dragging him or whether he was just following willingly Cassandra didn't know. She pulled him to her rickety bed and patted a spot halfway down the bed. Cassandra climbed back under the covers, her little limbs flailing as she wrapped herself in the flimsy sheets._

 _Her friend watched her with amusement. He lacked facial features but the young girl, after years of observing them, could see the slight narrowing of the glowing orbs, as though he was smiling._

 _"Tell me a story." She squeaked. This had become a regular occurrence. Unless something particularly upsetting had happened to Cassandra that day, she would beg her friend to tell her a story. He told the best stories. They were usually of a magical place called Neverland but sometimes they would take place in another. Each and every one however, involved Peter Pan: a boy who never grew up. He believed grown-ups were stupid, that they couldn't be relied upon. Cassandra admired that greatly, she knew more than anyone that Peter Pan was correct. All the grown-ups she had ever met had lied to or tricked her at some point. And as for her parents...well that was another story._

/

"We making s'mores?" Henry peered curiously at Greg as he began to start a fire.

"No." The man replied bluntly. Pushing herself away from the tree she had been leaning against, Cassandra piped up.

"Really, why not? I mean I haven't even been kidnapped twenty-four hours and already I miss s'mores with all my heart and soul." Cassandra finished her declaration by dramatically laying herself on the dry earth of the clearing. It was not in her typical character to have such trivial concerns but then again, none of the people present knew of her true self, and so her falseness slipped by undetected.

"You have not been kidnapped!" Tamara seethed. "I'm your mother, ergo, I have a right to take you places with me." Cassandra was pleased she was still keeping up the act, that she was Cassandra's adoptive mother.

" _Adoptive_ mother." Cassandra snapped harshly. "And you lost that right after you sent my biological father through a freaking portal to die!" As she began to angrily get to her feet Henry sat next to her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her a slight shake of the head. She could read in his eyes that he was signalling she needed to calm down- that violence would accomplish nothing. What absolute nonsense. Nevertheless, she resumed her relaxed position on the dirt but instead, sat with her arms wrapped around her legs. She needed Henry to think she trusted him; needed him to think she was on his side.

Becoming mesmerized by the smoke from the fire dancing in the air, Cassandra fell into a trance. She reminisced about her life in Neverland. She was content now she had finally returned home. Not that she would admit it to anyone else, but she had been fairly homesick during the past six months. The relief that had filled her as the four of them fell through the portal was overwhelming. Memories had played through her head as they wandered through the familiar green jungle. The nostalgia was unbearable: she remembered chasing the Lost Boys, weaving amongst the towering trees for hours on end; she remembered getting lost for the first time, alone and starving, not being able to find her way back to camp; and she remembered how _he_ found her, transporting the two of them back to camp in the blink of an eye.

It was the first time he'd saved her since rescuing her from her old realm. It was the second time she had recognised she could count on him- forever and always. He was her saviour. Cassandra felt a pang in her chest. She missed him. Since leaving Neverland in search of Henry, she couldn't bear to even think _his_ name, the longing would cause too much heartache.

Cassandra was oblivious to what was going on around her, too wrapped up in her thoughts. She vaguely heard Greg ask something, it sounded like he was attempting to sound bold and unafraid, but that didn't fool Cassandra. She was a master at spotting fear. Even when she was hardly paying attention, she could identify the quiver in Greg's voice without difficulty.

"We're the home office. Welcome to Neverland."

Cassandra suddenly felt like she'd been yanked out of a lake; her body jolted as her senses heightened. Her ears abruptly transitioned from picking up muffled noises to hearing sounds as clear as a bell. Her vision focused, the green blurs separating to form individual leaves on the plants around her. She felt the crumbling dirt beneath her fingers and her hands gripped at it.

"The 'Home Office' is a bunch of teenagers?" Tamara's voice rang out.

Sensing eyes on her, Cassandra slowly stood up, still facing away from the voice she knew all too well.

"They're not teenagers." Henry told her. Cassandra's heart thumped. "They're the Lost Boys."

At that Cassandra spun around, her blonde waves splaying from her head with the momentum. Before her stood the group of dishevelled boys, their faces streaked with dirt and their clothes dull and ragged. Felix was smirking at her and as their eyes met it took everything Cassandra had not to sprint to the group and hug them all. She flinched internally, horrified. Such a strong reaction to seeing them was very unexpected, so unlike her. Clearly, she missed them more than she thought. Regardless of this however, she was _not_ a hugger. Perhaps some of Henry's painful optimism and tendency to show affection was rubbing off on her. She shuddered.

"Look at that." Felix said eerily, his gaze not leaving the girl who he considered as one of them- one of the Lost Boys.

"But why would the Lost Boys want to destroy magic?" She queried. Henry would get suspicious if she remained too quiet. There wasn't long left now, not long until she could end this silly charade.

"Who said we wanna destroy magic?" Felix gave her a mischievous smile and Cassandra stepped sideward so Henry was right behind her.

"That was our mission." Greg stated bluntly, Cassandra could practically see the cobweb covered gears in his brain turning as he came near to realising the truth.

"So you were told. Yes. Now the boy. Hand him over." Felix flickered his gaze away from Cassandra and he gave Greg a hair-raising stare, not breaking eye contact.

"Over my dead body, you-" Cassandra snapped, gripping Henry's arm, before she was cut off by Tamara.

"Not until you tell us the plan...for magic, for getting home." Tamara demanded. Cassandra internally groaned, _now_ they start to think things through. How could they be so brainless! It was a miracle she managed to put up with them for so long.

"You're not getting home." Felix tried to keep his face unreadable to maintain the intimidating impression he had made on Tamara and Greg. Cassandra however could sense how much fun the blond was having. He enjoyed the panic he had put on the pair's faces, not that she blamed him- fear was such a wonderfully powerful tool.

"Then you're not getting the boy." Greg barked, desperately clinging to what leverage he had left.

"Of course we are." And just like that, the stillness of the air shattered like porcelain and chaos ensued.

A dark shape swooped down from the sky and towards Greg. The man screamed as the silhouette ripped out his shadow. His body plummeted to the floor. Lifeless. Tamara's eyes were wide with disbelief and heartbreak but she acted swiftly. Turning to Cassandra, she yelled, her voice hoarse.

"You knew! You _knew_!" Tamara cried. She had finally clicked onto the truth. Cassandra could read the shock, horror and betrayal in the woman's eyes.

Meeting Tamara's stare, Cassandra's lips turned up.

"Henry!" She reached to the boy to snap him out of his stupor but Cassandra blocked her way. Tamara looked from the boy whose life she had just destroyed, to the girl she thought she had known. The girl who had her reasons for wanting the same thing Tamara and Greg did, but was still innocent enough. The girl whose warm brown eyes had suddenly become darker and more sinister. "Don't trust her! She's-"

A dull whump was heard and Tamara collapsed to the ground with a thud. An arrow protruding from her back. Cassandra whipped around, gripped tightly onto Henry's arm and began to sprint from the clearing.

"Run, Henry!" She shrieked. The boy didn't hesitate, he reacted instantaneously and ran along beside her. Fleeing the Lost Boys, Cassandra thought of the two corpses left behind. Her mind filled with one thing- one intense desire she could no longer fulfil...

She wished she had been the one to finish them off.

/

 _Peter Pan had had dozens of adventures and Cassandra wanted to hear about every single one. He fought against pirates and other evil grown-ups with his friends that he called 'The Lost Boys'. Cassandra had immediately been intrigued by this title when the shadow man had told her about them. Cassandra practically jumped as she decided which story she wanted to hear. She giggled and clapped her little hands quietly._

 _"Wait, wait!" She said before the shadow could begin a different tale. "Tell me about the Pied Piper. The first bit, the first bit." The shadow nodded and his low voice drifted from him as he retold the tale of the Pied Piper and his Lost Boys._

 _"There was once a boy, named Peter Pan. He lived in a land called Neverland, a place where time stood still. Pan was alone on the island and so, he searched for those who would understand him." The shadow man's voice could be described as sinister by others, yet to Cassandra, there was nothing even slightly eerie about it as she became entranced by her friend's words._

 _"He travelled to a realm, a realm where time moved. He took with him a set of magical pipes that would help him find his friends. Pan visited a village and played the magic instrument. From it came the most wonderful of music, it was heard by many young boys who climbed from their bedroom windows so they could hear more."_

 _It was this part that affected Cassandra most. 'Why only boys?' She had once asked. For she too wanted to hear such music. She wanted to be one of Peter Pan's friends. The shadow had only continued in his story, and the girl had had to wait impatiently for her question to be answered._

 _"They followed the music to a campfire where a hooded figure was waiting. This mysterious person was Peter Pan but nobody knew that. And so, he came to be known by the townsmen as the Pied Piper." The shadow paused and noted that although the young blonde had heard this story several times, she was still just as enraptured by it._

 _"The boys spent the night dancing around the campfire with Peter Pan. But at one point, an old friend of Pan's showed up. It had been many years since this friend had last been seen, and now the boy had become a man. A dark and evil man." At this point Cassandra, as always, gasped and hid her head under the covers. "Pan greeted his friend and discovered that the man was there to retrieve his son who had heard Pan's music. Pan told the old friend that only boys who felt unloved or lost could hear the music. This made the man angry and so Pan told him that, if the son wished it, he could remain with his father._

 _"The man was a coward and so, with the magic he possessed, he transported his son home, giving him no say in the matter."_

 _"That's what grown-ups do, they force us to do things, they trick us. They're bad." Cassandra piped up. This perception had been drilled into her over the years as a result of her own experiences. Her friend nodded._

 _"Peter Pan returned home and he took with him his new friends. He named them the Lost Boys as they, like him, knew that parents had no worth. Parents felt no love for their children. They trapped them, for their own selfish reasons."_

 _The girl nodded as she thought about Peter Pan. She had always envied the boys who got to go to Neverland and have fun. She was unloved, she knew the truth about grown-ups and yet, she couldn't go to Neverland because she was a girl. At first she had been angry at Peter Pan for abandoning her just as everyone else had. But after introducing her shadow friend to one of the other girls she lived with, she understood Pan's reasoning. Girls were stupid. So feeble and pathetic._

 _Cassandra wasn't like other girls though; she knew this and so she had complained to the shadow about this years ago. Her friend's response had lifted her dull spirits immediately. 'No, you're not.' He had said. 'And that is why Peter Pan will save you.'_

 _And so, as the six-year-old drifted off to sleep that night, her tired eyes fluttering shut, she heard her friend whisper what he always said before leaving._

 _"Be patient Cassandra, for Peter Pan will always save you."_

/

The pair's footsteps smacked the dirt beneath them and their heavy breathing filled the air. Cassandra looked to Henry to see him stumbling over tree roots as his hands were still bound. She was surprised that Henry had so willingly followed her after Tamara's accusations. Shouldn't he be a tad warier? Cleary, misplacing trust ran in the family. Lucky for her, Cassandra hadn't made that mistake for years, since she was a little girl.

The not-so-distant yells of the Lost Boys could be heard behind them. Although she and Henry were supposed to get caught, Cassandra considered outrunning the Lost Boys a personal challenge. A slight yelp was heard and Cassandra skidded to a halt. Glancing to her side she saw a small shape lying on the floor. Henry had tripped. She cursed and made to race back to him. Before she could, she noticed a hooded figure pull Henry up and off the trail. Intrigued, she paced to the spot where the two had disappeared between the bushes. The face of the hooded figure had been hidden in the shadows cast by the moonlight and Cassandra was curious as to which boy got the role of tricking Henry.

Peering through the gaps in the branches, Cassandra made sure she was out of sight from Henry. She squinted, trying to make out the features of the boy. She took a small, sharp intake of breath, its sound inaudible to all but herself. She knew who it was. Her eyes traced the profile of the boy's nose, examined the furrow of his brows, stared into the forest green eyes calling to her like a shining beacon. Her eyes roamed his features and she drunk in every detail as if she were parched.

"Peter..." Cassandra breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. She vaguely heard the thunder of footsteps as the pursuing Lost Boys caught up. Someone grabbed her arm and hauled her away from where she had stood. Cassandra's feet dragged as her eyes still saw Peter crouching in front of Henry. Breaking out of her stupor she looked dazedly around and saw it was Felix who was pulling her. When they were at last out of earshot of Henry and Peter, the group slowed to a halt.

"You've gotten slow." Felix smirked.

"I can still outrun your sorry ass." She quipped. The two scowled at each other for a moment before breaking into huge grins. They clamped onto the others right hand and pulled the other in, clapping them on the back.

"It's good to see you Andie." Felix murmured into her ear before they broke away from each other. Cassandra smiled at the nickname- only Peter and the Lost Boys ever called her that. They were the only ones close enough to her. She glanced at the other familiar faces surrounding her, names easily fitting each one: Darrel; Eddie; Devin; William... the list went on. These were her people- the closest she'd ever get to friends. No, she wouldn't entrust them with her life, nor would she expect them to put that much faith in her. But she could relate to these boys. They knew betrayal. They knew what it felt like to be abandoned, to be unloved. They, like her, were lost.

"I knew you'd all miss me." She smiled mischievously. A chorus of protests chimed in unison. "Oh shush, don't deny it, I won. And don't think I forgot what the stakes were." The group of boys quietened and each of them frowned, jutting out their lower lips. Felix just rolled his eyes.

"I take it you want to know the plan for the boy." It was a statement not a question and so Cassandra waited for Felix to continue. "We're meeting them at camp so I'll fill you in on the way." All several of them shuffled out of the clearing. Cassandra fell into stride beside tall blond.

"Pan's going to test his belief. See if he can get pixie dust to work." Felix smiled darkly as they walked beneath the canopy of leaves. "He's pretending to be an ex Lost Boy at the moment, but soon," He pushed a low hanging branch out the way, "he will reveal himself."

"But how will that help? Openly admitting to Henry that Peter deceived him... that'll just give Henry another reason not to trust him."

"Tsk tsk." Felix gave a slight sneer. "It doesn't matter that he lied. Henry will understand that Pan did what he did, because he had no other choice." Felix's smirk widened. "For the greater good of Neverland." He jeered mockingly. "What else was he supposed to do Andie, let the magic die?"

Cassandra scoffed. "That's the reason he's going with! What idiot would believe that?"

"Andie, Andie, Andie. It's the Truest Believer we're talking about here. He wants- no, _needs_ \- to see the good in people. He has to trust them, it's in his nature." Felix told her patronizingly.

Cassandra had to admit he had a point. She hadn't met Henry that long ago and already she knew what a fool he could be. He was blinded by hope. Though, it was Henry's idea to investigate Tamara in the first place. He hadn't included Cassandra. Why would he? She was a stranger and the adopted daughter of the person under suspicion, (he could be incredibly naïve sometimes). Regardless, she had kept close tabs on the boy throughout her stay in Storybrooke. However, thinking about it now, it was probably the want for his parents to get back together that drove him to act on the nagging voice in the back of his head. In normal circumstances, Henry _believed_ in people, he had faith in people to do the right thing. What a sickening mindset.

"And what am I-" Cassandra began to ask as her eyes roamed the surroundings she knew so well.

"You no longer have to continue that draining facade." Felix told her. "You can tell him everything you want. Except how Pan's deceiving him of course."

Cassandra nodded, she noted how scruffy the others were and groaned. She was really going to miss hot, indoor showers. Already she could feel herself beginning to sweat, causing her clothes to cling to the top of her back.

"Oh, and if Henry asks about your revenge, about why you don't just kill him and your parents...just tell him about how Pan saved you." He gave her a knowing look. "That you owe Pan your life." Felix ended their conversation by howling and there was an abrupt shift in the pace of heavy footsteps as they shuffled along. The group sped to a run and they raced against each other to camp.

 _I'm coming, Peter._ Cassandra's mind promised. _I will always come back to you._


	4. Chapter 2

**A/N: Just a note, the flashbacks are following Cassandra's childhood chronologically. There are time skips between each chapter's flashback, but I have tried to make it as clear as I can when they're set to avoid any confusion. If I have failed miserably, just comment or message me and I will try to clarify. Enjoy, my lovely humans :)**

The fire crackled and the clearing was filled with laughs and cheers. Cassandra sat on a small log wedged between Felix and another Lost Boy named Darrel. She had arrived at the camp around half an hour ago and had immediately been greeted by the Lost Boys who had remained at the basecamp. Everyone had gathered around the blaring campfire and one by one, as they noticed how tired Cassandra was, trickled off to do their own thing.

Now the blonde sat staring into the dancing flames as the Lost Boys around her whooped and howled, their spirits still wild and wide awake. Cassandra just longed for the moment when she could sleep, her hammock called to her. She felt her heavy eyelids fluttering shut and instantly she snapped out of her trance. She rubbed her eyes and sat up straight. Until Peter arrived, she would not sleep, she was determined to wait for him. Although, Cassandra had to admit he was taking his time.

A crunch of footsteps could be heard from just beyond the clearing's borders. Cassandra twisted her neck so she could clearly see the area of bushes from which the noises were coming. Branches were pushed aside and through the opening came a trail of Lost Boys. One, two, three entered the clearing and Cassandra's eyes refused to move from the gap, her heart yearning for her first glimpse of Peter. Two people walked through next, side by side. Clambering to her feet, Cassandra's vision focused solely on the emerald eyed boy dressed in his typical dark green and brown attire.

Her heartbeat thudded in her ears and every fibre of her being ached to reach for him. Her blood thrummed violently through her veins, leaving every inch of her body tingling. The boy looked up and met her gaze causing Cassandra's heart to squeeze tightly in her chest. His stare intensified and the girl realised she couldn't stand there any longer. Legs wobbling, Cassandra stumbled into a run, her limbs felt slow and numb and her surroundings dissolved until it was just the two of them. Cassandra and her Peter Pan. Her saviour. Her breaths echoed in her ears; each of her footsteps seemed like a clap of thunder as they brought her nearer and nearer to the boy she had missed more than she thought humanly possible. After what seemed like a lifetime, she finally reached him.

She dived to Peter, latching her arms around his neck. Her body was flush against his. She smiled as she felt his heart beating as vigorously as her own. At last the boy's own arms lifted from where they hung like dead weights at his side. They slowly wrapped themselves around Cassandra's back. She buried her face in his neck as she felt tears spring to her eyes. His hold was strong. Safe. Enveloped in his protective hold, Cassandra knew everything would be fine. She blinked repeatedly to stop her tears from spilling over, there were Lost Boys surrounding them and she refused to cry. Unless she wanted to get mocked for the rest of her days; she had a reputation to uphold. Cassandra pulled back so she could see Peter's face. Her heart fluttered at their proximity, his breath on her face.

"Hello." She beamed, her eyes conveying the deeper meaning behind the single word.

"Andie." Peter grinned, his bright orbs sparkling. Abruptly, the expression on his face shifted, his features contorting into a cruel smirk as his eyes flickered over her shoulder. This wasn't the face of her Peter, this was Peter Pan, King of Neverland. Seeing this look on his face, Cassandra knew their moment was over, he had a game to play. He unravelled his arms from her back and Cassandra begrudgingly unlocked her own from his neck. Peter placed his hand on her waist and twirled her so she stood next to him.

"C-Cassandra? What's going on?" Henry asked dumbfounded. Cassandra blinked, she had completely forgotten about his existence. The befuddlement and hurt on his face suggested that Henry must have run to Cassandra, greeting her with open arms, only to be completely blanked. She almost laughed. It was hardly like she ignored him on purpose, he could hardly blame her for not even noticing his tiny, insignificant presence.

"Well Henry, here's the thing." She sneered at the shock on his face at her unfriendly tone. She broke away from Peter's side, instantly feeling cold and empty as his arm disappeared. Stepping towards Henry, she crouched down so her face was closer to his, her stare icy.

"I'm one of them. I'm a Lost Boy." She whispered venomously. Henry was flabbergasted at this strange Cassandra, she was so different to the one who had arrived in Storybrooke with his Dad and Tamara.

"B-but how, why? I thought that- so it was all a lie, an act?" Henry stumbled over his words.

"More or less." She smirked wickedly.

"So you're not even my sister?" He asked, saddened. Cassandra grimaced at his words.

"Unfortunately, that part's still true." With that bitter remark, she pushed herself up so she towered over the small boy before her. She strolled past Peter and the crowd of Lost Boys that had gathered. "I'm off to bed."

/

 _The icy wind bit her skin like a wolf. Cassandra pushed through the harsh sting and continued to clamber out the window. She spied the ground below. It wasn't that far. She was only on the third floor. She swivelled from where she was perched on the window sill so that she was facing her dark bedroom. The room itself held no fond memories for her, it would not be missed._

 _Lowering herself down, Cassandra latched onto the frail vines that twisted their way up the building. She took a step. Then another. The downwards climb was slow and excruciating as the wind tore through her thin clothes, chilling her to the bone. She had only descended a metre or so when her numb limbs refused to work. Cassandra went to hook her foot on the next section of the vine to find that it would not stay put. Struggling desperately to lodge her foot on the vine, her hand slipped and Cassandra tumbled down._

 _She hit the pile of snow. It felt like razors as it cut into her already freezing flesh. It was unbearable. For a moment, the girl wanted to give up, to be rid of the cold, the pain, the awful life she had. Then there was an instance of clarity. Cassandra would not give up. To give up would mean to lose. All those who wronged her would succeed, they would go unpunished for their actions. And so, the child braced herself and counted to three. One. Two. Three._

 _Cassandra pushed herself to her feet with all her might. She wobbled but managed to remain upright. Staggering through the snow, her hatred was fuelled by the icy air. She would make them pay for what they did. She was but a child, how could they be so cruel? However, Cassandra wasn't a fool. She knew that at her feeble age of ten, there was nothing she could do. Her starved figure was no advantage in this situation. She would wait. Grow big. Become strong. Then her patience would be rewarded._

 _Cassandra was miserable and could not feel her toes. If it weren't for her blistering rage, the girl may have fallen into the snow quite some time ago. The girl may have not gotten up. These drastic actions were only needed because of what Cassandra had overheard earlier that day._

 _Madame Nox, the woman who had raised her, not out of love but rather obligation. Cassandra had hoped that the awful woman had some boundaries. The bruises on Cassandra's face and back was nothing. The jagged scar on her left temple was nothing to fret over. The days she'd gone unfed due to her temper, she had survived them. But when Cassandra overheard that bitter old hag ranting to her husband about how she 'couldn't take it anymore' and 'needed her gone', well Cassandra knew the dreary orphanage was no longer safe. The woman had muttered the words 'Cassandra' and 'Doctor' in the same sentence. The mere mention of the beady eyed man had alarmed Cassandra greatly._

 _Doctor Rhodes was not man to be trifled with. He owned the 'loony house' as the other children called it. Word was that people who went there never returned. That they were tortured until they begged for death. Evidently Madame Nox disliked her more than she thought._

 _Cassandra spotted sight of some woods and nearly jumped with joy. Reaching the trees, she discovered not much snow had gotten past the layer of purple leaves sheltering the ground below. She collapsed, her muscles having reached their limit. Exhausted, Cassandra unwillingly fell into a fitful sleep plagued by nightmares of Doctor Rhodes._

/

Cassandra woke with a start. She gasped as her eyes darted around her surroundings. Recognising the makeshift tent around her, the previous day's events trickled into her mind like a gentle stream. She was in Neverland. She was home. Cassandra took slow, deep breaths to steady her rapid breathing. Shock and worry ebbed from her limbs. The fuzz from her mind cleared and allowed her to think coherent thoughts. Cassandra hadn't been able to sleep properly for quite some time now. Since leaving to begin her revenge plot (and to aid Peter's scheme), her slumber had been jagged as she restlessly tossed and turned. Dreams twisting into nightmares. She'd always felt like she had to be on watch and now that she was back...it would take some getting used to.

She rolled her legs over the side of the hammock and planted her feet on the soil. The hammock hadn't been as comfortable as she remembered. Her back ached as it longed for the luxuriously snug and cosy beds the other realm had had. She shook her head. What pitiful complaints. Since when had she gone soft? Slight kinks in her muscles were nothing to fuss about. Cassandra stretched her arms over her head and yawned before making her way into the darkness outside.

Boys were rushing about to and fro past her tent. Confused, Cassandra paced through the camp trying to figure out what was going on. Someone gripped her arm and her heart jumped. Out of instinct she twisted her arm as she spun around and went to hit the attacker. Her eyes landed on a very familiar and very amused Peter Pan. Her punch halted midway and she dropped her arm.

"Don't scare me like that unless you want to get whacked." She scowled.

"Maybe if you'd been paying more attention you would've known it was me in the first place." His mouth curled into a sly smile. Cassandra huffed before she recalled what she had been doing.

"What's going on?" She gestured to the figures shuffling around the camp.

"We're relocating. Emma Swan and the others will be here soon."

"Why'd you lead them to camp?" Cassandra asked, she knew there was no way those people could find the base without Peter allowing them to.

"I paid a visit to your dear mother while you were asleep." Cassandra winced slightly at the title he gave to the person she loathed so much. "Gave her a map that would lead her to the boy. She has to admit something about herself for the map to work, she broke the rules." Pan said matter-of-factly, as he began to stroll through the camp, overseeing the preparations to switch sites.

"Admit what exactly?" Cassandra followed, lengthening her strides to keep up.

"Who she really is." Peter's simple words echoed in her head. She pushed down this contemplative urge and focused on the current situation.

"So where are we moving to?"

" _We_ aren't going anywhere, the others will move the camp. It's only necessities being taken now anyway, we'll come back for the rest later." He stated as he came to a halt. Cassandra glanced to the ground to see Henry laying fast asleep, his head resting on his coat. Peter knelt beside him, gently lifting the boy's head as he swiped the coat from under him. Noticing the scarf sprawled beside Henry in the dirt, Peter picked it up before walking away. Cassandra watched Henry's peaceful face for a moment before snapping out of her stupor and running to catch up with Peter.

"So where are _we_ going then?" She mimicked his emphasis on the pronoun.

"We're going to wait for Henry's beloved family to show up." His eyes gleamed with mischief. He muttered something about needing different trousers and a ghastly pink shirt.

Cassandra's eyes widened momentarily. _They_ were coming. Henry's family. She refused to call them her own. She would finally get her chance. Seeing them in Storybrooke had angered Cassandra so much, being unable to act how she wanted had filled her with unbearable frustration. But now, things were different. Peter had Henry, there was no need for the grown-ups anymore. In fact, killing them would be like squashing a bug; it would get rid of quite the nuisance.

"I look forward to it."

/

 _Cassandra awoke suddenly, sunlight barely peaking over the horizon. She was startled to find a thick woollen blanket strewn across her. A shuffling noise was heard to her left. She jumped, blood hammered in her ears. It was a man wrapped in an old-looking leather coat. He watched her, his face both gruff and tired. His eyes showed concern, pity and a sliver of...guilt? She raised her brow, waiting for the man to say something. Cassandra knew she had nothing to fear from him, if he wanted her dead, he would have let her freeze to death in the night._

 _"Sorry, I would've moved you but erm..." With his right arm, he gestured to his left and let out a low chuckle. Cassandra's eyes followed where he motioned to. Her eyes widened. From where his other arm should be, a stump protruded from the socket._

 _"What's your name?" At her wary gaze, the man added. "It's okay, I won't hurt you. The name's Paolo." He gave her a weak grin but still Cassandra refused, shaking her small head. "Alright then, but can I ask what you're doing here in the cold on your own?"_

 _The man swallowed subtly, a glint in his eyes. Cassandra sensed the answer to her question would affect the man's actions immensely. She could lie, say she got lost and her parents would be worried about her. But this fellow looked like he would take it upon himself to make she got home safe and sound. Also, the marks on her face suggested that she had run away from an unhappy situation. So... she could tell the truth? However, that would likely result in Paolo taking her back to that despicable place and thus she'd end up in the territory of Doctor Rhodes._

 _Cassandra was left with only one choice. Well one choice considering her muscles were fatigued, they didn't have the strength to let her flee. Curling herself inwards to make her seem smaller and more innocent, Cassandra sniffed and rubbed at her eyes._

 _"Please don't send me back." She wept. "Please, please." The man fell for her act and immediately went to console the girl._

 _"No, no, no." He repeated. "That's not gonna happen, I promise." He breathed a sigh of relief as the quiet sobs ceased. Cassandra looked to him, her wide eyes hopeful._

 _"C'mon, let's take get you outta this cold." He held out his right hand. She placed her tiny hand in his larger, calloused one, rough and dry like sandpaper. Pulled to her feet, Cassandra wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and she followed Paolo stomping through the snow as they left the cover of the woods._

/

Cassandra sat with her knees tucked under her chin. She didn't say a word, neither did Peter who stood beside her. They just waited in silence. Cassandra's veins thrummed with anticipation. Her eyes flitted about the camp, eager to see signs of the visitors that should be arriving any minute. Peter faced away from the camp as he wore the coat that was two sizes too small. Its tight fit wasn't that obvious, not if one was stood at the other end of the clearing, which the Storybrooke residents would be.

Her mind wandered to what Peter had said earlier. _'Who she really is.'_ These words resonated within her and it was unclear to Cassandra whether she struggled to answer the question about herself or whether she was just curious as to who Emma really was. Cassandra didn't know how she would describe herself though the words lost and betrayed sprung to mind. Although she had found her home, the place where she could be happy, her past still haunted her. It had made her who she was and there was no escaping it.

As for Emma, Cassandra hardly knew the woman, yet had painted an image of her in her head that included so much depth. Emma was the source of all the hatred within Cassandra, she was the trigger. The careless woman caused trouble wherever she went. She managed to ruin the life of an infant even though she was only present for a sliver of an instant. Emma was heartless, ruthless. Though she was selfish enough to seek redemption from her son who was blinded by idealisms. Cassandra didn't need to know Emma more than she already did. She knew enough. She knew what happened to those who crossed paths with Emma Swan.

A twig snapped, rousing Cassandra from her thoughts. She lifted her head to see Emma and Regina emerge from the trees. Hook followed behind along with Snow White and her buffoon of a husband. Cassandra groaned internally. She could feel their sickly optimism radiating from them. She saw the group slow as they noticed the two figures on the small hill.

"Henry!" Emma yelled. "Cassandra!"

Cassandra was slightly startled by that. The concern in the mother's voice as she called for not just one but both of her children. Why would Emma care about _her_? Even if she had accepted that Tamara told the truth back in Storybrooke, that Cassandra was Henry's twin, it shouldn't have mattered. Not after what Emma did to her own daughter. Cassandra brushed aside this peculiarity, she didn't want to understand what went on in the adult's head.

"Hi Emma." Peter turned around to face the group though Cassandra didn't spare him a glance. She was too busy enjoying the stunned look on the group's faces.

"Where the hell is Henry?" Emma demanded her puzzled gaze flickering to Cassandra. Oh, this was fun. Soon Cassandra would get to see the priceless look on their faces when they realised whose side she was really on.

"You broke the rules. That's not fair." Peter drawled, walking along the dirt bank. "Bad form." He added. "I expected more from you, Captain."

"Wait, this is the girl you were talking about? This is Cassandra?" Hook asked the others, his tone full of hatred as he glared at Cassandra. Regina looked to him, baffled. She was about to ask what he meant but she was cut off.

"Long time, Hook. Miss me?" Cassandra smirked. The quintet, excluding Hook, looked to Cassandra with astonishment.

"Cassandra?" Poor Snow White was far too trusting to believe what was happening right in front of her. "Come on, let's go." Her bright tone forced, as she motioned for the girl to join them.

"No. She's not who you think she is. You can't trust her." He put his hand on Snow's arm, signalling for her to stop waving.

"Oh Hook. Dear, dear Hook." Cassandra stood, her tone sinister. "Can you trust anyone, really?"

"Give me Henry, now!" Emma shouted. She looked like a deer in headlights. Her restless gaze suggested that she had registered how the situation was getting out of hand.

"Sorry. Can't. Don't you know? Cheaters never win." Cassandra could sense Peter's smugness without even looking at him. It was a surprise that boy didn't get whacked more often. Recognising Peter's signal, Cassandra whistled sharply.

A crowd of Lost Boys joined Peter on the hill. They carried torches and weapons laced with dreamshade. The quintet subconsciously huddled closer together. They frantically looked around them as more Lost Boys entered to camp from all sides. Cassandra saw the group preparing to fight as if they had a chance. How adorable. She turned to glance at Peter who was now fairly far away. He met her gaze with a dark and gleeful look. She heard a whoosh as the first arrows flew. Winking at him, she rushed down the slope and into the chaos.

/

 _Seated in front of the roaring fire, Cassandra hummed peacefully. Paolo had been good to his word. The man had brought her back to his cabin, lit the fire and disappeared into one of the bedrooms. He had emerged with a new set of clothes close to her size, her own drenched from the snow, telling her he had a son. After giving her half a loaf of bread, he left the cabin. His reason was that he had gone to get his son. Cassandra presumed the boy must have been at a friend's house._

 _Now, dressed in dry, clean clothes Cassandra realised Paolo had been gone hours. Where was he? Panic sliced through her chest. Had he lied? Had he gone to Madame Nox? She hadn't told him where she was from, but it really wasn't that hard to figure out she was an orphan. There was a quiet knock at the door before it creaked open._

 _"Don't worry, it's just me." He smiled though it didn't meet his eyes. Paolo look scared, his lined face screaming something wasn't right. "I have a friend I want you to meet." He stuttered._

 _"What have you done!" The blonde whispered harshly, with such unexpected venom considering her size. The door swung open with a bang and through it stepped a colossal man who towered over Cassandra._

 _"Hello girlie." The huge man grinned showing his rotten teeth. "Papa Bates is here to take care of yer now. Get her lads." Two more men entered the cabin and lunged for her. Cassandra kicked and screamed and punched and bit but the men managed to get a hold on her limbs. Carrying her fidgeting form into the frosty outdoors, Cassandra yelled to Paolo._

 _"You promised me! You lied! You lied!" She seethed, her throat raw._

 _"I promised I wouldn't send you back from where you came. I said nothing about sending you elsewhere." Paolo corrected. Just before she was out of earshot, Cassandra heard him call to her._

 _"I'm sorry lassie," Cassandra swore she imagined the apologetic tone to his voice. "They have my boy!"_

 _That was the last Cassandra ever heard of Paolo as she was taken away, screeching to the empty air for her friend the shadow to come and save her. Her pleas received no reply and her future was sealed. Destined to live the life of her kidnappers. To live the life of a bandit._

/

She charged at Hook, ducking as he slashed at her. Cassandra gripped his right wrist and twisted his arm back. As he cried out, she punched his jaw following through with a kick to his stomach. Right before he was about to counter-attack, Cassandra spotted Felix creeping up behind. She smirked.

"See you later, leather-legs." She dived sideward as Felix pounced onto Hook's back. Rolling to her feet, Cassandra spotted three Lost Boys getting knocked to the ground by Regina's magic. She marched to them and recognised a familiar tuft of red hair. Gripping Darrel's hand, she yanked him to his feet.

"You can do better than that, this is child's play." She stated, allowing Darrel to help the other two. Glimpsing bright blonde hair that matched her own, Cassandra left the trio and stalked towards Emma. The woman was stomping up the hill only to be tackled to the ground by one of the Lost Boys.

The two rolled downwards until they reached the flat dirt. Cassandra came to her senses, catching herself standing frozen like a fool. She became alert and strode purposely, heading towards the pair. Her step faltered slightly. She saw Emma refuse to attack the boy, standing up to back away. Why would she...Emma was a ruthless human being, just as much as the next adult. So why was she acting that way? Although she was bewildered, Cassandra did not let her perplexed state stop her from getting what she wanted more than anything in that moment. Revenge.

Cassandra leapt. Her body hit Emma's with a thud and they tumbled to the jungle floor. Using their momentum, Cassandra twisted so they halted as she was on top of their bundle, leaning over her mother. She grinned and moved so her mouth was next to Emma's ear.

"This is for sending me away." She hissed. "This," She pulled back and grabbed a knife from her belt. "Is for making my life hell." Cassandra's hand plummeted towards Emma's chest. This was it. This was the moment she'd been waiting for her whole life. The blade was inches from the woman's heart. _Thump_.

"Agh!" Cassandra cried. She looked downwards and instead of seeing a pool of red blossoming on Emma's chest, Cassandra saw her knife buried in the dirt beside her. An inch from the woman's torso. Cassandra growled. She glanced around to see the cause of the graze on her knuckles. She saw it. A rock about the size of her fist had been fired at her hand. The force had knocked her fist, causing the arc of the blade to shift to the right. A sharp whistle shot through the clearing and Cassandra looked to see Peter watching her. He shook his head. A mixture of confusion and rage washed over her. He did that. Peter stopped her. Why! He knew about what Cassandra wanted, what she _needed_. He had helped her to get this far so why now, _now_ of all times, did he get in her way.

Her lips curled into a snarl. Peter's face remained blank, unaffected by the fury pouring from her. His head tilted minutely before returning to its original position. He was beckoning her to his side. For a moment, she challenged him with a stubborn glare which was instantly met with Peter's own. The dark glint in his eyes showed he was not to be messed with. Not this time. He was daring her to disobey him. Groaning, Cassandra yanked her blade from the soil and stormed to Peter and the Lost Boys.

Regardless of their relationship, their history, and their ability to act as equals in other circumstances, Peter Pan was in charge. His authority overruled all wishes or wants. To go against him on such an order would make him absolutely livid. She could see in his eyes that he needed Emma alive, for what reason Cassandra didn't know. But she did know that if she killed Emma now, it would ruin Peter's game. And nobody, not even Cassandra, was allowed to ruin the games of Peter Pan.

/

"Please talk to me." Mary-Margaret pleaded to Emma gently.

"There's nothing to talk about." Emma responded, her tone defeated. "We had our chance and we lost... I lost." 'I lost them.' She added internally, thinking about her two children and how she had failed as a mother.

"Then you have to keep fighting. You heard what Hook said. Pan is a demon. And you're a-"

"What? A saviour?" Emma cut in sharply. "Because if that were true, this map would've shown us the way already. We'd already have Henry and my daughter wouldn't have tried to kill me!"

"It's not your fault you know. I don't want you ever thinking that it is. We _will_ get Henry back. And Cassandra," The woman paused, her voice fiery as she refused to let Emma feel guilty. "Pan got his claws in her. You could never have known that would happen."

Emma gave her no response, too wrapped up in her emotional torment to pay attention. Mary-Margaret broke the silence, her voice taking on a more profound tone.

"Maybe who you think you are, isn't who you really are." She pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked. Part of her was desperate to cling to anything that would make her anguish disappear.

"Sometimes we think we know ourselves, but we need a push to show us the reality." The raven-haired woman said slowly, allowing her words to unlock a deeper meaning within them both.

"That boy with the knife, you stopped fighting him. Why?" Mary-Margaret was careful not to bring Cassandra back into the conversation.

"Because he was just a boy..." Emma trailed off, her eyes starting to tear up as the real reason tore away at her.

"No." Mary-Margaret didn't fall for Emma's ruse. "There was something else. I saw it in your eyes. Why did you stop? Why?"

"Because when I looked at his face, I saw me." Emma could feel her voice starting to break. The walls she had built were beginning to crack and crumble. In her mind, Emma was no longer talking about the boy.

"Go on." Emma could tell in her mother's eyes that the woman would not give in. She was insistent on receiving a substantial answer. That determined nature, Emma had that. It had always been with her. There were times in her life when it had faded, barely noticeable, but it was always fought back, refusing to disappear entirely.

"That look in his eyes." The image of her daughter leaning over her clouded Emma's vision. Inhaling sharply, she forced herself to continue. "The despair. I had it back when I was in the foster system. Just a lost little girl who didn't matter and didn't think she ever would. A little girl who cried herself to sleep at night, because-" She could feel herself crying now. Her voice breaking as she took deep breaths to finish her piece. "She wanted her parents so bad. And could never understand- why they gave her up."

"And then you found us." Mary-Margaret said, it was clear Emma's words had deeply affected the woman. "It was too late."

"It's just, on this island- I- I don't feel like-" The blonde sniffled and she could practically hear the heart of the woman beside her breaking. "A hero or a saviour. I just feel like what I've always been." Gulping, she said the word that had echoed in her head her whole life, the word that had remained locked tightly away for a long time, until now. "An orphan."

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block the painful thoughts and pictures. Silence flooded her surroundings and Emma struggled to keep her emotions buried under the surface.

"Emma." Mary-Margaret's voice was soft, sadness rang out.

"What?" Emma wiped her eyes.

"Look." Emma did as she was told and was shocked to see, forming on the blank parchment beside her, a map.

"What happened?" She asked, bewildered.

"You accepted who you are." The resoluteness of that sentence. It sent Emma's heart plummeting. She was overwhelmed by the recollection of her past; by the realisation that her poor daughter, who could've had a normal and happy life, who _deserved_ one, had similar memories of her own.


	5. Chapter 3

**A/N: Only just realised my present/flashback separators have been changed when I've entered the chapters. Alas I'm sure it doesn't make a difference- you're all smart chaps. Let's kick off this chapter with a bit of romance, shall we? :)**

Cassandra was seated on the ground, her back against a tree. She could hear the cheers of the Lost Boys from the camp nearby. Not in the mood for fun, she had left the group and was currently hiding away until she could calm down. She hadn't wanted to see a certain someone. Didn't trust herself not to kill him if she saw that egotistical face of his. Her plan had worked, slightly. The roaring fire of her anger had simmered to a level she could control. The stillness of her current surroundings definitely helped. The pale moonlight cast a beautiful glow over the trees. The soft shadows twisting as the gentle breeze fluttered the leaves.

Feeling someone drop down beside her, Cassandra tensed. She knew who it was. The bold action as he rested his hand on her knee was clear enough. Although she was angry at him, she suddenly felt too drained to shove him away. Curious to her body's reaction she quickly deduced a reason. She felt defeated. The one person she thought would always be there to back her up, to catch her if she fell...well he didn't. He virtually pushed her off the figurative edge, sending her tumbling down to the despondent state she was in. Ripping her away from a chance at vengeance.

"Why?" She asked, her voice weak.

"You see, I don't think you've thought this through." Peter said, his voice somehow both gentle and cocky. "I know I said you could have your revenge, but is stabbing your mother really the best way to go about it?"

"You're kidding, right?" Cassandra bristled at the boy's words.

"Andie, I think you've forgotten I'm on your side." She could sense his self-righteous smile. "Listen, you loathe Emma. Completely understandable after what she did to you. But a dagger to the heart. Surely that's too quick an end for someone so vile."

The cogs in Cassandra's turned. She could see Peter's point. Cursing herself, she could feel her icy aura melting. She knew she shouldn't forgive him so easily but it was so hard, so tiring, staying mad at him. Her stiff posture relaxed somewhat.

"Then what would you suggest?"

"Have a little fun. Make her suffer. Mess with her head. Make her part of the game." The mischievous tone in his voice was unmistakable. "I've already started to toy with her. Let me tell you, she's not as strong as she likes to think. There are already cracks in her walls. Despair beginning to show and we've barely gotten started." He sneered and Cassandra grinned widely.

"And then I can kill her?" Her eyes lit up at this vengeful ploy. Without hesitation, Peter fuelled her fire.

"After we've torn her down and she's begging for forgiveness. Begging for death." He nodded. "Andie, this opportunity has the potential to be the greatest game of all time and I do not intend to waste it."

"Likewise." Cassandra's fury towards Peter had dissipated and her head fell to his shoulder. "What about Snow and Charming, can I kill them?" Her quip was met with a simple chuckle from Peter.

She raised her head and turned to face him. Her heart tightened. The white light danced across his features creating dark contrasting shadows which accentuated the deep colour of his iris'. Sometimes they could be described as pure emerald or even forest-green when the sunlight emphasised the lighter flecks within. Now however, the darkness from the clearing, cast away by the moon, had escaped into his eyes turning them into a deeper, richer green. Their colour reminded Cassandra of moss in winter where it poked out from under the snow, the sodden plant dark in tone. The stark contrast to the dazzling white around it causing it to appear darker still.

Peter's gaze had become intense and Cassandra found she was unable to look away. She became aware of their closeness, aware of the heat radiating from his chest, aware of how it was more than likely that Peter could hear her trembling heartbeat. The hand that had been resting on her knee disappeared and immediately the spot felt cold. The hand moved to her face where it brushed aside her tatted locks. He traced the scar that flowed across her temple almost gracefully. Its jagged form had faded somewhat since she was a small child but still the mark remained. Peter had never offered to use his magic to rid her of it. Cassandra hadn't asked him to. She liked it. It was a reminder of what she'd been through. Of how much she was capable of overcoming.

His fingers trailed down her cheek to cup her chin, leaving fire in their wake. His eyes roamed her face, not as though he were memorising it but rather as though he had already done so. As if he were testing himself, seeing if every inch of her face was as he remembered. From the brief smile that flickered on his face, Cassandra guessed he'd passed the test. Note the term 'passed' rather than 'won'. When it came to her, Peter didn't play games, there was no winning or losing. There was only her. She was the exception to Peter Pan's games and this was one of the reasons she pledged him her heart all those years ago.

Her senses heightened and she became overly aware of their surroundings. She could hear the yells of the Lost Boys and the rustle of the critters in the jungle. She felt the cool wind soothing her warm skin. Her mind buzzed and whirred, latching onto all stimuli it could. Peter's gaze flickered to her lips. Cassandra could hear her breathing quicken. He leaned forward, his face inches from hers. The suspense was unbearable, her palms had grown clammy, her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Peter looked into her eyes and she felt like he was staring straight into her soul. She was an open book, completely vulnerable. And so was he.

"Cassie." He whispered. There it was, her nickname used only by him. The name he would call her only when they were alone. It was used when his guard was down, when he was defenceless. This simple word was said when the great Peter Pan felt like nothing more than a mere boy, his heart exposed to the girl he loved with a passion so intense it ached his mind and body.

Unable to bear it any longer, Cassandra bridged the gap and their lips crashed together. Her whizzing thoughts halted completely, the gears in her head had stilled. She no longer heard the Lost Boys or the critters. She no longer felt the breeze on her skin. Her body was numb to their surroundings. The only sensation she could comprehend was that of Peter's lips against hers. The only thoughts she could form revolved solely around Peter. Her Peter. They had longed for each other so desperately and this was reflected by the urgent movements of their mouths. As if the other could disappear at any moment. Time ceased and the world stopped. Everything was them and they were everything.

Too soon, the unfortunate need for oxygen brought Cassandra pulling away as she gasped for breath. She looked up to see an equally flustered Peter. She smiled one of her rare genuine smiles and rested her forehead against his. Slowly the two recovered and Peter pressed his lips to hers once more. But this kiss was different, it was gentle. It conveyed the joy they both felt at being reunited. It expressed the devotion they had towards one another. Peter grinned one of his blue-moon grins that were neither arrogant nor smug. They were kind and honest and not at all like how his reputation painted him to be. But that's because it was a glimpse at _her_ Peter.

Their fingers intertwined, the pair strolled back to camp. Cassandra was beaming and as she looked to the boy beside her, she caught the slight twinkle in his eye. She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back. Nothing could ruin Cassandra's good mood, not even Emma Swan or her Storybrooke friends. Not when Cassandra was with Peter.

For he was hers and she was his.

/

 _She scrubbed the dirt from her skin, refusing to spend another day caked with all this mud. She didn't have long. There was no telling how long there was before the owners of the cabin were back. She had filled her satchel with all the coins she could find and knew Papa Bates would be pleased. She was the greatest thief out of all his crew; her dainty figure compared to that of the burly men gave her a strong advantage when it came to stealth. It was the only reason she'd been kept around for so long, she was able to repay Papa Bates well for 'taking care of her'. She scoffed as she thought of how the intimidating man would phrase it._

 _Looking in the mirror, Cassandra was revolted. Her skin was dull white, scattered with coloured blotches. Purples, blues, browns. They littered her arms and legs though these were easily hidden by her clothing. Her lip was cut but it wasn't anything that wouldn't heal. The thing was, Cassandra wasn't surprised by her damaged appearance in the slightest. It had become a familiar sight._

 _She watched, mesmerised by the strange figure in the mirror. The starved ghost with coloured spots across her body. Clothes a size too big hanging loosely from her frame. Incredibly short hair, cut just over an inch from the scalp. The person in the mirror was not Cassandra. The person looking back at her was a stranger. She was not the feisty girl who argued with Madame Nox nor was she the determined girl who ran away in the middle of an icy Winter's night. Cassandra's reflection showed an empty shell of the girl she had once been._

 _Upon entering the cabin, she had looked in awe at its interior. The large pile of logs by the fireplace, she could picture the warmth it would radiate. The sturdy table in the kitchen, it caused an odd ache in her chest as she imagined people sitting together as a family. The whole house possessed an aura of homeliness, it was cosy. A luxury Cassandra never had the fortune to experience._

 _A mental image of children living happy lives, filled with love from their parents, sprung to mind. It overpowered the slight twinge of envy Cassandra had had and replaced it with disgust. They knew nothing of hardship, they had never had their will power tested. And yet, they were able to live in their blissful ignorance and be rewarded._

 _Pouring more water onto her hands, Cassandra rubbed her face, ridding herself of the dark streaks. Washing her cropped hair would be a waste of time. She wouldn't be able to massage all the filth from her scalp quickly enough. She'd just end up fleeing the cabin with dripping wet hair that would chill her to the bone when she left the warmth of the indoors._

 _There was a clang. Cassandra froze. They were home. Cursing her carelessness, she crept towards the window praying the people didn't catch her. Placing her hands on the sill, she hoisted herself through the opening, swivelling her hips so her feet land firmly on the sodden grass. She sprinted, her strong legs pushing her powerfully across the marsh. Squelching sounds accompanied each footstep as she plodded through the puddles._

 _Echoing church bells could be heard as she reached the cover of the woods. Midnight. Grabbing a coin from her pocket, she flipped it in the air. She watched as it twirled before it plummeted back to the earth, catching it in her right hand. It was a silly tradition of hers._

 _"Happy Birthday Cassie." A small smile graced her lips. "Maybe thirteen will be the lucky year."_

/

"Wake up. I got you." Peter threw an apple to Henry. The boy sat up, looking warily at the fruit.

"I don't like apples." Henry said. Cassandra almost tutted aloud. Not everyone had the luxury to be picky over food.

"Who doesn't like apples?" A baffled Peter asked.

"It's a family thing." Henry timidly glanced to Cassandra. She didn't want to be part of his little family, the idea of being so hopeful all the time repulsed her. But she hated the way in which the boy made her feel like even more of an outcast. Excluded. Unwanted. They had a _thing_ , she'd never had a proper family in which she could have a _thing_. Envy twanged within her.

"Evidently not." She snapped causing Henry to flinch. Peter could sense her distress and she noticed the crack in his posture when he almost broke character, when he almost unleashed his vicious side upon the small boy. Instantaneously, the crack sealed itself and Peter was fully in control once again.

"Don't worry." Peter smiled to Henry, ignoring Cassandra's comment and crouched down in front of him. "They're not for eating. It's for a kind of game. A really fun game." The dramatic Peter aimed with the cross bow he'd been holding. "I call it target practice."

A scared looking Henry followed Peter as he walked off. Cassandra stood where she was after noticing Felix drifting towards her.

"I see you two have sorted it out." He stated referring to the recent event that had made Cassandra livid.

"He had his reasons." She nodded. "What have I missed, with Emma and the others?"

"The Swan girl has figured out the map." Felix said, very bored. It was evident this part of the game was too slow paced for him. Cassandra on the other hand was intrigued by what Felix had told her.

"Who is she then?" She asked quickly. Felix gave her a curious look but before he could answer, Peter's voice yelled.

"Andie. Get over here." She glanced to Peter and decided she could find out about Emma later.

"Is Cassandra good? Is her aim good?" Henry's eyes were frantic as Cassandra walked towards them.

"No, far from it." Peter said slyly. Cassandra scowled at him but he just winked. Okay so maybe she wasn't the _best_ with a bow and arrow. But that didn't matter, she much preferred to fight her opponent up close. You could see the fear in their eyes. The tiny fraction of a moment when they give up any hope they have, and accept their inevitable death.

"Doesn't matter though, because Henry, you're the one who gets to do the shooting." Peter's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"I don't wanna shoot." Henry refused. Cassandra groaned. This boy was no fun. The crowd of Lost Boys that had now circled around the trio began to chant.

"Shoot. Shoot. Shoot." Voices filled the air.

"You won't hit her. Trust yourself. Go on." Peter said quietly to the boy, motivating him. Cassandra placed the apple on her head and grinned at Henry. "It's exhilarating." Peter added before stepping back for the boy.

"Shoot. Shoot. Shoot." The chorus grew louder and louder.

"Hit me and I'll gut you." Cassandra yelled over the noise. His eyes widened at the crazed expression on her face. Cassandra knew she would be fine, whether she was hit or not, she had Neverland's magic waters on her side. But Henry didn't know that and it was so much fun to toy with him.

The crossbow raised and Henry pointed it uneasily at the apple. Cassandra took a deep breath. This little game was a test in itself for Henry. How he responded to Peter's commands. The abrupt shift in Henry's aim was intentional as he fired the arrow directly at Peter. A shriek caught in Cassandra's throat, a sudden clenching was experienced in her chest. The arrow halted. Peter had caught it. Cassandra gulped, that was far too close for her liking.

"Told you it was exhilarating. Come on, I have something to show you." Peter and Henry strolled away, Henry still in slight shock. Cassandra didn't blame him; her heart was still racing. She didn't follow them, instead she dropped straight to the floor, her legs having turned to jelly.

Did he have to tempt fate like that. She knew he could catch arrows, he was quite proud to say the least. He did it every chance he could get, the boy liked to show off. But maybe one time, he'll miscalculate. He won't catch it. It'll plummet straight into-

Cassandra shook the thought from her head. It hurt too much to think about. She sighed and looked over to the boy whose eyes could hold an entire spectrum of green. She felt how her heart beat stronger and louder as she watched him, admiring his features. The typical smug grin of his that she dreamt of every night they were apart. The certain look in his eyes that kept her going when they were realms apart, that guided her past her worries and told her they would be together again.

Cassandra wracked her hands through her knotted hair. That boy would be the death of her.

/

 _Each birthday, Cassandra's thoughts would be drawn to her friend the shadow. He hadn't visited for years. She wasn't even sure if he had ever been real. It was more than likely that all he was, was a figment of her imagination. A being, created by a frightened, lonely little girl who only wanted someone whom she could call a friend. Not that she'd ever admit it, but sometimes Cassandra caught the strangest of things in the corner of her eye: A dark blur where there should have been light; A man with two shadows, one different in size to the other; Even two bright circles in the shadows, like glowing eyes._

 _She had known of the shadow for as long as she could remember. His stories of Peter Pan, she grew around them like a vine would a tree. They supported and comforted her when she had no one to go to. No mother to hold her. No father to chase away the demons under the bed. But the first of the stories did not include Peter Pan. It calmed a whimpering infant who desperately wanted the answer to one agonizing question. The question all orphans will ask. Where her parents were..._

 _And so, the shadow had told her. He told her how her cruel and wicked father abandoned her mother. He told her how her selfish mother did the same to her children. Leaving them to be taken care of poorly by strangers. Yes, she had a twin. A brother who was prophesised for great things. The brother remained in their birth world while Cassandra was cast through a portal into the realm she now lived. For them, Cassandra had been sent away mere seconds ago, she was not a child who could already string together a sentence._

 _The shadow consoled the sobbing child, turning her anguish and despair into hatred for those who were supposed to love her. Her friend had told her that the mother was ignorant, she was blind to the power her little girl possessed. The strength she held within. 'You must show her,' he had said 'show her how wrong she was.' The trembling girl had been naive, she hoped her family would come back. Perhaps her brother would save her. The shadow had simply shaken his head. 'By the time your brother is old enough to help, he wouldn't want to.' He explained how all grown-ups were evil, their lack of compassion outstanding, even her brother would turn into this awful excuse for a person._

 _And that was when she was introduced to Peter Pan. The boy who never grew up. He rescued children from grown-ups, he gave them a place where they could belong at his home called Neverland. Peter Pan would save her. He would not forget her._

 _Strolling through the woods, the girl who had just reached her thirteenth year sighed. Peter Pan. He sounded like a fairy-tale, too good to be true. But hidden in Cassandra was a slow burning ember of belief. She knew he was real. She felt it, deep within her bones. Whether she was just using the mindset of a young child, she did not know, but having depended on the tales of the boy for so long took its toll._

 _To give up on the boy dressed in green would be like killing the tree around which the vines were wrapped. The tree would fall and she would too._

/

Too lazy to move, Cassandra remained sitting on the ground. She rested on her arms as she leant back to admire the dark sky above. She had watched Peter and Henry's exchange from afar, she had watched as Peter gave him the scroll. After spending about a decade in Neverland, Cassandra had become very familiar with the object. She would often look at it, look at the boy she knew to be her brother.

She would wonder what his life was like. How he differed from her. Curiosity, jealousy and hatred had frequently swirled around in her head. An odd blend of emotions that always arose when she looked at the drawing of her twin who got the lucky end of the stick. She had always known Henry was the Truest Believer, Peter had explained it all to her. The thing she didn't know was whether it was mere coincidence or fate that Henry got to grow up happily and end up with two mothers while Cassandra, to put it simply, did not.

A small shape sat next to her, capturing her attention. Henry didn't look at her, he kept his gaze upwards towards the vast expanse above them. Raising her brow, Cassandra eyed the boy but he did not make any attempt to interact with her. Deciding the peculiarities of a ten-year-old weren't worth her time, she resumed her position searching the sky. After a long and silent minute Henry spoke up.

"I used to stare at the sky every night you know." Cassandra looked to him puzzled. That was not what she had expected. "When I found out Regina wasn't my real mom, I'd look up at the stars and know that although we were miles apart, me and my real mom would be looking up at the same sky." It was at this point he looked at her. "It made me believe that I would find her. That I shouldn't lose hope."

Cassandra sighed. Of course it would be some sort of empowering hope speech. Surely someone couldn't be born with that much enthusiasm for life. However, Regina didn't seem like the type to bring up a child with unrealistic ideas and dreams. Groaning, Cassandra deduced it must be in the family. The overwhelming hope that Snow and Charming shared must have been passed down their bloodline. And poor Henry got it all dumped on him. Relief filled Cassandra as she realised she had a stroke of luck for once in her life.

Henry had fallen into silence. Was he waiting for a response? Did he think he could get into her head that easily? Shrugging, she figured she had nothing to lose by humouring the boy.

"I had a different sky." She told him. At his inquisitive gaze, she explained. "I grew up in another realm to you. Surely you must have figured that out? I'm quite a bit older than you after all." It was clear that Henry was deep in thought. Was what she was saying really that hard to comprehend?

"I had a feeling but I didn't know for sure." His words were slow and steady. "...how did you end up in the other world?" Cassandra did not have to give her answer any thought.

"Your mother Emma isn't as perfect as you think."

"What do you mean?" Henry asked innocently. He knew not to outright deny her words unless he wished to lose a finger.

"She sent me away. She didn't just put me up for adoption like you for some reason. Oh no, she banished me to another realm where I was trapped, destined to live an awful, _awful_ life...until Peter saved me." Thinking about her saviour brought a smile to her lips.

"Our-" Henry faltered at the murderous glare Cassandra shot him. " _My_ mom, she, she wouldn't do that. She didn't even know about magic until I found her."

"She lied to you Henry. Don't get upset, she lies to everyone, it's what she does." Her words were hollow; it was evident she didn't care if Henry was sad or not. The stubborn boy grew agitated at her accusations.

"No! My mom isn't like that. You've got it wrong. Why would she only banish you and not me anyway? And why to a place where time moves quicker!"

Cassandra blinked. She was stunned by the fight the young boy had in him. That fire. She had it once. It was small, fuelled mainly by naive hopes and dreams. Needless to say, it was quickly smothered during her upbringing but in its place, grew a colossal furnace that roared and raged. Its unstoppable flames scorched anyone who stood in her way. Forgiveness was a term Cassandra no longer understood.

"Maybe she knew you were the Truest Believer." She supposed, though her drawling tone indicated it was more than 'just supposing'. "Maybe she decided it would be better to keep you around just in case you could be of use to her." She spat, Henry's powers as Truest Believer ringing in her mind. Cassandra rose from the ground, brushing the dirt from her pants. She was done with this conversation. About to walk away, Cassandra said one final thing to Henry.

"Oh and maybe, just maybe, she sent me there so then there'd be less chance of me coming back. Think about it Henry, for every year in your world, fifteen would pass in mine. If Peter hadn't rescued me, I'd be long dead by now." With that, she stormed away leaving Henry open-mouthed.

/

On an isolated section of Neverland, far away from camp, Pan's shadow flew overhead. A figure dropped to the ground with a grunt. Felix chose this moment to step from where he was hidden in the bushes. The man clambered to his feet and turned to look at the boy he knew a long time ago.

Baelfire had changed so much. His face lined with the stress and worry that only came with adulthood. His jawline was stronger. His features had become more prominent, no longer the soft face of a boy. His eyes however, they were still the same worried brown eyes that had arrived in Neverland all those years ago. They still held the same weakness, the same heartbreak, that accompanied his overbearing sentiment.

"Welcome home, Baelfire. Pan will be so happy to see you." Felix smiled slyly at the man who, by the guarded look in his eyes, knew what he had gotten himself into by coming back. "And Andie too," He sneered, leaning to Baelfire so their faces were closer. "She'll be _so_ glad to find out you're still alive."


	6. Chapter 4

**A/N: Bit of confrontation with Rumpel coming up (no surprise there), along with how Cassie finally ended up in Neverland...**

The sound of drums pounded and the whoops of the Lost Boys rang out. Pan was fiddling with the set of pipes in his hands. He twirled them as he thought deeply about his next plan of action. Emma was slowly tearing apart, it wouldn't be long before she broke down completely. Henry would not be leaving with her. Neither would Andie. Hopefully getting almost killed by her daughter, would have finally solidified in the Saviour's head that Andie was his. She was not leaving Neverland. Now it was only Henry that he need worry about. Of course, Pan wasn't truly worried about how the game would play out. He knew he would win, he always did. But Henry's thoughts, his _belief_ , were important components in the plan. He needed to ensure that Henry was clay in his hands before moving forward.

Pan's gaze drifted upwards and focused on the boy with his back turned to the celebration. Well that wouldn't do. Pushing himself to his feet, he made his way to Henry who sat all alone.

"You don't want to join in the celebration, Henry?" He queried as he sat down opposite.

"Nothing to celebrate." Henry responded numbly. The boy was almost there, almost at the stage when he'd give up hope of rescue. Soon, Henry would accept he was a Lost Boy.

"Nothing to celebrate?" Pan said sarcastically and chuckled. "Henry, this whole party is to celebrate _you_." A brief smile flashed on Henry's face. Quickly, the small boy regained his composure.

"Why does Cassandra hate me?" Henry's abrupt change in topic caught Pan off guard. He looked to Henry and saw how miserable he appeared. Evidently the small boy wasn't used to being disliked.

"Well put yourself in her shoes." Pan said, effortlessly recovering from his flustered state. "She never had a mother, the closest she ever had to one was a woman whom she loathed terribly for reasons that aren't mine to tell.

"Now take you," Pan continued. "You have not just one but two mothers. Both of which you believe, with a great ferocity, will save you." Henry's face dropped and Pan was glad he was getting through to the boy. "Andie's home is here, she knows the truth about parents and their priorities. The fact that her own brother would choose that life over her…well, it's heart-breaking wouldn't you say?"

"She thinks our mom abandoned her." Henry stated, his tone heavy.

"Well didn't she? You should know Henry, she abandoned you too."

"My mom didn't abandon me. Neither of them ever would. They'll come back for me, and for Cassandra." Henry said stubbornly. It seemed he was fixed on the idea that his parent's love would prevail. Pan however, could detect the slight cracks in his demeanour, deep down Henry was scared.

"Cassandra used to be like you, you know. When she was just a little girl. She learnt the hard way that sometimes, no matter how much you want something, you can't change the truth."

Henry was silent, taking in Pan's words. Pan watched Henry for a moment before he remembered the pipes and held them up.

"There's one thing that always cheered your sister up when I first met her. A little song." Holding the pipes to his lips, Pan blew into the tubes and out it came the music that all the Lost Boys could hear. Henry suddenly looked confused.

"Sorry, I can't hear anything." He said completely unaware of the implications of his words. Pan felt his calm mask slip. This was surprising information. Even after everything he just told Henry, he still clung to the hope that he was right about his family. Pan was irked at his own carelessness. He should have foreseen this, of course the Truest Believer would require more patience than that.

"Interesting." Pan's tone was thoughtful. "You see Henry, this pipe is enchanted. It can only be heard by certain children." Pan caught movement in the corner of his eye. He looked across the clearing to see an angry Felix march into the clearing and stare expectantly at him. Even at this distance Pan managed to catch a glimpse of the frustration and panic in the Lost Boy's eyes. Something had happened. Something had not gone according to plan.

"You'll find out soon enough, I promise." Pan said absent-mindedly to Henry, his thoughts elsewhere. Storming to his second in command, Pan's mind skimmed through possible scenarios. It was at this point he became aware that Andie wasn't in the camp. Worry bubbled within him. Was Felix's expression due to something revolving around Andie? Had something happened to her? A sudden moment of clarity took hold. Of course nothing had happened. This was Andie. His Andie. She could handle whatever life threw at her.

"What! I know that look, what happened?" Pan spat, not at all pleased there was something he didn't know.

"Baelfire. He got away."

"Well then why didn't you get him back?" Pan demanded though he had to admit, Felix's news dissolved a great weight in his chest. The absence of Andie's name filled him with relief. He was too distracted by this information that he wasn't as bothered by Baelfire's escape as he normally would be.

"I tried. I followed his trail and found two of our sentries knocked out…by a sleeping curse."

"The Dark One." Pan confirmed and suddenly a blot of panic shot through him. "Where's Andie?" His eyes frantically searched the clearing. There was no sign of her. He knew the girl could take care of herself for the most part, but if Rumpel found that she was working against him… putting Andie against an angry Dark One would be pushing the limits. And she was not someone whose life Pan wanted to gamble. He left Felix and strode back to Henry on the edge of camp.

"Where's Andie?" He asked not bothering to hide the urgency in his voice. Pan had seen the two talking earlier and so it seemed likely that Henry would know where she was. The boy looked up in surprise at Pan and twisted his body as his eyes roamed the camp.

"I dunno." He shrugged. "She left a while ago, didn't see where she went."

Pan stomped away from Henry without another word. Felix caught up with him, pulling the leader to a halt.

"Pan. She'll be fine. They can't take her from here. They won't even touch her if they know she's under your protection." Felix urged him to calm down. Pan's stressed mind eventually saw the truth in the his words. Bit by bit, Pan's tense demeanour deflated and he panted as he began to think clearly again.

"They'll be coming for the boy." Felix said after registering that Pan had relaxed.

"Now, now Felix. Where's your sense of adventure? We can't end the party when the real fun is about to begin." As he said this Pan couldn't quite rid himself of the worry that without Andie in his sight, something bad would happen to her.

/

 _The journey back to the bandit's hideout was pitch black. The night was cloudy, no moon or stars to light her way. Cassandra glided through the forest, effortlessly avoiding any trees. As she grew close to the hideout she spotted the traps that had been laid out. Almost seven years had been spent exploring this land, ever since she'd joined Bates' gang when she was ten. She knew her whereabouts like the back of her hand. Trapezing over the triggers, the blonde arrived at the entrance in one piece. She pulled open the camouflaged hatch and climbed down the hole, shutting the small door behind her._

 _Jeers were instantly heard as she delved deeper underground. The smell of alcohol burned her nose as she walked through the tunnels. She grimaced. Couldn't those rowdy men get drunk somewhere else? Light filled her eyes as the tunnel opened out into a circular cavern, torches lining the walls and the space teaming with drunkards. Passing through the crowded room, Cassandra's satchel was ripped from her._

 _"Hey!" She yelled, teeth bared._

 _"Calm yerself, Pan." The ugly man guffawed loudly. Cassandra had finally grown used to being addressed by that name. She hadn't wanted to tell them her real one, a name could give someone power. She didn't want to risk getting traced back to Nox orphanage, it was one of the reasons she'd allowed Bates to cut her hair so short. The less resemblance to her past self the better. She was no longer the same girl she had been and burying her history didn't seem like a bad idea. Plus, in a rough place like this, 'Pan' had a much better ring to it than 'Cassandra'._

 _Cassandra scoffed, these men never learned. She punched him across the jaw and kicked his kneecap harshly, causing him to grunt in pain. Before he had a chance to defend himself, she clamped onto his arm and slid under so it twisted as she came to a halt at his back. Wrenching the limb upwards, the bone almost snapped and Cassandra shoved the man to the floor. He dropped quickly, not wanting to his arm to break._

 _"You're pathetic." She hissed in his ear. She yanked his arm higher and grinned at the satisfying crunch. The man cried out and Cassandra released her hold, pacing around him. She slung the bag onto her shoulder and waltzed out of the room without a second glance._

 _Clearly her combat skills had increased over the years._

 _Making her way to their leader's office, Cassandra knocked boldly on the door. A low grunt came from inside and a few moments later the door swung open. Before her stood the vile man, who had the nerve to claim he knew anything about her._

 _"Papa Bates." She nodded her head and the man grinned approvingly at the title. The grin was not comforting. His teeth were sharpened to a perfect point like a beast of children's nightmares. Restraining a shudder, Cassandra entered the room, handing him her satchel._

 _Coins clattered as Bates poured them from the bag. There was a greedy look in his eyes as he rummaged through the pile, counting how many there were. From his expression, Cassandra could tell he was pleased. She never doubted that he would be. She was one of the best thieves in the gang. Her small frame being quite advantageous. When it came to combat however…her figure wasn't as benefical. Luckily for her, she had learnt well during her years of training. She had to. If not, she would undoubtedly have died within the first year. However, her newfound skills weren't called upon as often as she would like. They were only required if you were caught, which Cassandra never was. Thus why she took every opportunity she got to put the idiots of Bates' crew in their place._

 _"Good, good." The man's gruff voice made her skin crawl. "But something's not quite right." He stepped towards her and felt a tendril of her hair that had grown somewhat since it had last been cut. Blonde wisps tickled her shoulders. "Too long. You're starting to look like the child you were when you came to me. Weak and pathetic."_

 _Before Cassandra could react, Bates had pulled out a blade. He gripped the ends of her locks and slashed through with the knife. She remained still while Bates finished his task, putting up no fight. Only a person with a death wish would resist. One movement and his knife could easily cut her neck._

 _No. She wouldn't act. Not yet._

 _"There, much better." Cassandra wrinkled her nose as the stench of his breath hit her like a wall. He turned away and slumped towards the chair at the money covered table. This was her chance. Her body sprung into motion. Pulling a dagger from her belt, Cassandra raised it by her head. As quick as lightning, she sent the razor-sharp weapon tumbling through the air until it embedded itself in Bates' back. Right through his heart._

 _Cassandra nimbly approached the large corpse that had slammed to the floor. She knelt beside it and grabbed the handle protruding from his back._

 _"Much better indeed." She spat under her breath. She heaved the dagger upwards and it quickly popped out from her former leader's skin. She wiped the glistening red knife on the man's grubby shirt and slid it back into her belt._

 _Cassandra didn't spare a glance to the treasure on the desk. There's no way she would escape the hideout alive if she took some. Jangling coins in her pockets would surely make the other men suspicious. Bates' kept all the collections, the thieves themselves never got anything. He liked to refer to it as paying him for providing them with food, shelter and the like, neglecting the fact that the food was never retrieved by Bates himself. That didn't matter to Cassandra, she didn't want the coins anyway. There was but one thing she desired._

 _She reached for the small chain that hung loosely around his neck. She spun it and grasped the object attached to the grubby metal. It was a dainty locket, covered in grime but looked like it used to be silver in colour. Getting a firm hold, she tugged on the locket and tore the chain from Bates' neck. Cassandra rolled it over in her hands and, taking a deep breath, opened it._

 _The locket snapped open and in its metal casing lay what Cassandra knew she needed ever since she laid eyes on it…_

 _A magic bean._

/

Cassandra had stormed out of camp after speaking to Henry. She hadn't stopped once, she kept going, fuelled by her rage. The nerve Henry had, it annoyed her to no end. It wasn't just what he said. It was how deeply he believed his own words. It was sickening. How did her own flesh and blood, who began in her shoes so lost and alone, turn out so _hopeful_? She was filled with disgust at her brother's behaviour. Yet, through the swirling fog of anger and hatred, a tiny sliver of something else cut through. It was grief. Grief for the life she could have had.

Shaking her head, Cassandra scolded herself. There was no need to grieve. What Henry thought to be true was nothing but a lie. An illusion. There was no such thing as a family laced with unconditional love and true unselfishness. Parents were deceitful. The love they claimed to have was not true. There was no need for Cassandra to feel a twang in her chest when she pictured the familial love Henry believed in. It was not real.

Her feet smacked the soft dirt as she walked through the jungle. Consumed by her thoughts, she did not hear the slight murmur nearby. Her steps did not falter, she strode on, oblivious to the people nearby. She whacked branches out the way as they hung in her path. The rustles were loud. However, they were not enough to rouse Cassandra from her careless state.

It wasn't until her shoe snagged on a tree root that she was brought to a halt. Falling to her knees, she hit the muddy ground. Her arms reached out to prevent her head smacking the earth. She stared at the twigs and leaves beneath her, breathing heavily. She clutched her head and gritted her teeth as she released a muffled yell. She needed to get these thoughts out of her head. The images of happiness Henry had painted with his firm faith. They caused an odd sensation in her chest. It was difficult to describe, though it felt vaguely familiar. It flooded through her veins and although she could not recall when, Cassandra was certain she had experienced it before.

"Don't move." The stern command came from her left. Cassandra shot to her feet and spun to face her confronter. At the sight of the Dark One in front of her, she became very wary of the power he possessed. Rumpelstiltskin was not a man to be toyed with. She didn't doubt the harm he could do to her with a single wave of his hand. However, at this moment in time, he had to no reason to. He didn't know that she had been tricking them all along, that she was on Peter's side.

"Mr Gold." She smiled innocently, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Cassandra," He said, void of any emotion. "You escaped him?"

"Pan didn't need me. They took Henry when we got here and I haven't seen him since."

"Hmm, interesting-"

"Cassandra?" A familiar voice cut in. Glancing behind Rumpelstiltskin, Cassandra's breath caught in her throat.

"Neal?" Unprepared for the sight of her father, there was no venom in her tone. "You're dead."

"That seems to be the common assumption." He grinned wryly. Cassandra noticed a body slung over his shoulder.

"Henry?" Shock was evident in her tone. She began to panic as she wondered how they'd got him. What had happened at camp while she'd been gone? Peter should have stopped them.

"Rescued him from the camp. He's under a sleeping curse at the minute but he'll be fine." Neal responded, evidently more relaxed having his son with him. "Are you okay? You aren't hurt?"

"No, I'm good." Cassandra shook her head though her thoughts were somewhere else as she assessed the situation. Henry was with them, not at camp. Peter definitely wouldn't like that. She had no clue what had happened at camp, whether they were fine or whether they needed her help. In that case, she was clueless as to which course of action to take: take Henry from them and find Peter, or stall them, preventing their escape, and wait for Peter.

Based on who she was with, it didn't seem like snatching Henry away was a valid option. The Dark One could easily stop her if she tried anything- not worth the risk. Her father, another person on her long list of hated individuals was also with her. Peter never said Neal was untouchable and so, it appeared her revenge was still viable. However, breaking out of her innocent character, would compromise the trust she currently held with them. Peter having Henry was more important than her revenge. It was decided, she'd stall Neal and Rumpel.

Cassandra followed them back through the bushes they'd come from into a small clearing. Neal placed Henry onto the ground and turned to Cassandra.

"So turns out you're actually my daughter." The man awkwardly tried to make conversation. "I mean, Tamara told me, right before I fell through the portal, but I err, didn't believe her. I mean who would, you're…what sixteen?" He looked to Cassandra who quickly nodded. "Yeah so that would make Emma about twelve when she had you which obviously couldn't be the case-"

"What convinced you that I was?" Cassandra asked, fed up with his rambling.

"I asked him when I got here." Neal motioned to his father. "He explained they'd used some sort of magic back in Storybrooke to confirm it. That the only explanation was that something had happened to you, to make you age faster."

"Yeah. I-" Cassandra was grateful for being cut off as she didn't know exactly what she was going to say to Neal.

"Y'know something doesn't quite add up." Rumpel said and at his tone, Cassandra immediately regretted her thoughts of relief. "You said Pan didn't need you. Now based on my experience, if Pan doesn't need someone, he _kills_ them. He doesn't let them wander free where they could get in the way of his plans."

Cassandra tensed at his words. The Dark One's aura was slowly transforming into one of fury.

"That being said, I think, considering who your parents are, you could be of great use to him. Your typical trade perhaps: threaten your life if we become dangerously close to disrupting his plans." He seethed, his tone full of accusation. Cassandra's eyes flitted about the clearing to see which way she could escape.

"And there's also the fact that I had a little conversation with your _'adoptive mother'_. She had quite the intriguing things to say about you, dearie."

/

 _Cassandra thought they would have given up by now. She thought it was mainly gold that kept them by Bates' side rather than loyalty. Evidently, she was wrong as the men still chased her after what felt like hours of sprinting through the forest. Her body ached and begged for rest but Cassandra urged her limbs forward one step after the other. Stopping was a risk that could not be taken. Some of the bandits had impeccable aim with a bow and she wasn't allowing herself to become in range for their arrows._

 _A shape flickered in the corner of her eye. Cassandra gasped with disbelief. The slight distraction caused her to stumble and she plummeted to the leaf covered ground. As she stood, a pain shot through her right thigh. She didn't have to look to know an arrow had skimmed her leg, slicing through the skin. However, the pain was nothing more than slight discomfort. She had experienced worse. Understanding the group was closer than anticipated, she increased her pace. Another arrow struck, this time in her left shoulder. At the angle it had hit, it was impossible to remove it without slowing down and so she pushed on with the arrow shaft waving in the air._

 _Eventually the yells of the men died down until all that could be heard was the crunch of leaves under her feet. Her dry throat begged for water and her wounds throbbed. Sticky blood trailed down her back and leg and at last, Cassandra decided to slow to a jog. Reaching her right arm backwards, she felt for the arrow still lodged in her shoulder and tugged. It didn't budge. Gritting her teeth, she tried again using more force and this time the wood came loose. Instantly Cassandra regretted her decision as a fresh wave of warmth trickled from the wound. A combination of fatigue and blood loss caught up with her and as she staggered dizzily along the ground, she failed to notice the trap hidden beneath the leaves._

 _The net sprung up, enclosing her as the rope lifted her off the ground. Rapidly, she fumbled for the dagger in her belt. Her hands slick with blood, the blade slipped and fell through the net to the floor. Hands forming fists, she spat out curses. Her body slumped as she gave in. Why bother? The shouts of the men had already returned. Any attempts at freeing herself would be futile and upon the slight chance that she did... where would she go? Though the magic bean felt heavy where it hid in her pocket, her wounds would make travelling through a portal a suicide mission. She knew death would soon meet her, yet Cassandra felt no fear as her body grew tired and her mind became fuzzy._

 _And so, she waited. Staring up at the black mass above, void of the stars that would give her hope when she was young and naïve._

 _Her senses numbed and her vision blurred. Clearly, she was beginning to hallucinate in her delirious state as the last thing she saw was the silhouette of a boy in the sky, flying towards her._

 _"I've got you Cassandra."_

/

"What do you mean?" Neal asked his father. "Cassandra…what's going on?"

Cassandra stared at Neal and at the priceless look on his face, she gave into her hateful desires. A smirk grew on her face and she laughed. The sound came out twisted and unpleasant, this was not the tinkling laugh one would expect from her. This was verging on a cackle.

"Even after everything you've been through, you still manage to hand out your trust like it has no price." She spoke to Neal with a dark voice that commanded all attention. She began to stroll around the edge of the clearing, trying to get as close to Henry as she could. "And you, the great Rumpelstiltskin, I expected more from you. Your almighty abilities of seeing through deception are slipping." She grinned, though her eyes did not mimic the happy gesture of her lips.

"You're one of them, aren't you? You work for Pan." Rumpel seethed.

"I prefer the term 'with' rather than 'for' thank you very much." Cassandra muttered. The next thing she knew, her breath left her as she was slammed into a tree. Her vision cleared and she saw Rumpel with his hand held out, his fingers tensed.

"It would appear you're weaker than you'd like to believe, dearie." He snarled. "I'd be careful from here if I were you, because without the magic you clearly don't have," His voice morphed into a growl. "I could kill you before you even got a chance to scream for your _precious_ Pan."

"That's more like it." Her eyes were crazed. "I've got to agree with Peter, normal people are just plain boring. You however, make the game a bit more interesting." The manic girl grinned widely.

Rumpel curled his fingers and Cassandra clutched at her throat. She couldn't breathe. Panic bubbled as her oxygen supply reduced rapidly. Throat burning. Lungs on fire. Vision fuzzy. Cassandra forced herself to inhale with all her might but it was no use. Her thoughts began slurring together into an unintelligible mess. The pain was blinding. Her arms became heavy and flopped to her sides. She vaguely heard Neal yelling but neither her eyes nor ears could focus. Her eyelids drooped. Her ears pounded with the sound of her blood rushing at the frantic beat of her heart.

Then suddenly, her airway opened and the invisible grip on her body vanished. Cassandra collapsed to the ground. She heaved as she gulped in oxygen. Laying on the ground, she panted heavily and all that could be heard through her ears were her loud breaths. She closed her eyes and listened to the hectic pulse throughout her body. The pain gradually subsided and a cool stream of soothing air washed down her windpipe. Emotion and impulse mutated into lucid thoughts. They'd stopped harming her. She didn't know why but she couldn't bring herself to care.

Raising her head with great difficulty she made out the shapes of Neal with little Henry on his back once again, and Rumpel. Neal waved his arms in an agitated manner as if in a heated argument. He pointed to her but Cassandra couldn't comprehend his words, her ears were still overwhelmed by her hammering heartbeat. Giving her one final look, one that looked suspiciously like pity, Neal slipped into the darkness of the jungle. Rumpel glared at her before thundering off in the opposite direction to his son.

No longer able to hold it up, her head crashed back down to the dirt. In a moment of vulnerability, Cassandra curled into a ball and squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to shed a tear. She was weak, pathetic. Magic had always overcome her. It had always been the cause of her downfall. Regardless of the agony she had just undergone, she had not feared death. Whatever the Dark One did to her, whatever anyone did, her heart would not stop beating. She'd like to think it was through her love for Peter, that her heart would never give up. But sadly, things could not nearly be that romantic in real life.

Peter had cast a spell on it. Not one to make her love him, not even he was powerful enough for such magic. No, it was to strengthen her heart. The organ would not fail so long as she loved him. So, in a sense, its everlasting beating _was_ because of the intense love she felt for Peter Pan.

Peter's magic had cast that spell, tying her to him forever. Magic had enabled them to meet in the first place. Although magic had had enormous negative impacts on her life, Cassandra admitted it had brought so much more. Yes, it was what allowed her to grow up in a realm entirely different to the one she was born in, the one she should have stayed in. But magic led to the development of skills she never would have otherwise learnt. Magic led her to Peter.

Magic was her downfall...but it was also her salvation.

/

 _Cassandra's eyes flew open and she screamed. Quickly she covered her mouth with her hand. She gasped for breath and tried to calm down. Her body trembled, covered in a cold layer of sweat. Her memory foggy and her mind disorientated, she sat up. A dull ache throbbed in her shoulder and instantly she snapped from her adrift state._

 _She had died. But...this didn't seem like death. She could feel rough material beneath her hands and hear the thrum of wildlife nearby. Shifting her weight, the material began to tilt and suddenly panicking, she frantically leaned the other way to avoiding falling. She had only just managed to steady herself when she noticed the presence in the corner of the dark room._

 _"Who are you?"_

 _"I think you know who I am, Cassandra." A boy's voice floated through the air, growing louder as the source stepped closer. "I'm just sorry you had to wait so long." The voice was kind and gentle, it was sympathetic. His words made something stir within Cassandra and years of childhood memories poured over her vision in the space of a single second, giving her mind the name of the boy in front of her._

 _"Peter Pan." She whispered. She didn't know exactly how she knew. It was more a gut feeling. An instinct. Her entire life had been built upon the idea that this magical boy would rescue her. Even though she'd never met him, she would recognise him anywhere. Pan knelt on the ground next to the hammock, concern etched onto his features._

 _"How are you feeling?" He asked softly. Cassandra assessed her body's state. Physically, she was fine, the ache in her shoulder barely noticeable. She was surprised to see that the wound in her leg had healed, leaving nothing but a faint line dancing across her thigh. She put it down to some sort of magic. However, she sensed this was not what the boy was asking and so she answered his real question._

 _"...I'm scared." She was ashamed to say it aloud but it was the truth, and after everything Peter Pan had done for her emotionally, he deserved nothing less. The nightmares she had awoken from came to her in flashes. Weeping to the moon in the sky, begging for a family. Madame Nox's sturdy backhand and cane that Cassandra's flesh was all too familiar with. Clambering through miles of snow in the middle of the night. Screaming as Paolo gave her away. Papa Bates' knife-like teeth, tearing a chunk from your flesh as if it was nothing._

 _Cassandra had spent her whole life feeling lost and unloved, over the years she had grown numb to it, but having all those memories crammed into one dream had brought rise to emotions long buried. The fact that she was most likely now in Neverland, with Peter Pan, it overwhelmed her. She didn't feel the sense of joy and safety she thought she'd feel. Instead, her mind felt scattered with no aim to guide it. He was here, Peter Pan had saved her as the shadow had promised so long ago. And that was the problem. She had spent so long waiting and secretly hoping he would come for her. Praying that the shadow was real and that she wasn't crazy like Madame Nox made everyone believe. Now that it had finally happened... there was nowhere to go, no purpose to keep her pushing forward._

/

Cassandra awoke gently to find she was snuggled against someone. Lifting her head, she saw a familiar face. Peter was looking upwards to the top of the tent, his eyes glazed over with deep thought. Sensing her brown irises on him, the boy's eyes flitted downwards. As their gazes met, the spark was like a jumpstart to her heart. Its steady rhythm tumbled into a frantic fluttering as their eyes locked. Just as Cassandra opened her mouth, Peter answered her unspoken question.

"I found you asleep in the middle of the jungle. That wasn't the cleverest thing to do now, was it Cassie?" Behind his nonchalant tone, Cassandra recognised a hit of genuine concern. She'd made him worry. A lump of guilt formed in her throat. She hadn't been thinking. Hadn't stopped to think how any of her actions would affect Peter. It didn't seem like he knew about Rumpel and his trying to choke her. If he did, Peter certainly wouldn't bother upholding his calm appearance. Without hesitation, she promised herself she wouldn't tell him. No need to cause him more distress. She wouldn't be so stupid again and that was all that mattered, he needn't ever know.

"Sorry." Her voice was small, conveying the sincere regret she felt. Immediately she turned back into her usual self, giving a snide remark. "Couldn't stand to be in the same space as that irritating brat any longer. Quite frankly, his positivity burns my ears."

"I've noticed, you aren't exactly subtle about your distaste." Peter chuckled under his breath. "I'm surprised you haven't rattled him to death yet."

"It took an agonising amount of self-restraint, believe me." She quipped. Her eyes escaped the hold of his captivating orbs and she rested her head back on his chest. "Where _is_ the little bundle of optimism?" She drawled, though her words held an undertone of trepidation. If Neal had gotten away with Henry, then Peter's game was over. Cassandra knew the consequences if he lost this game.

"In the camp." He stated blankly. Cassandra's brows furrowed at that. Neal had Henry. Not Peter. Why would he lie? Was he trying to fool her like he was with Henry? Peter continued before her thoughts could escalate. "Rumpel and Baelfire took him. Cast a sleeping curse and immobilised me with squid ink-" His bitter tone transformed into one of pride and Cassandra could sense the smug grin on his face. "But it wasn't long before the magic wore off and we got Henry back."

Cassandra's mind lurched. Had she...how could she- after everything they'd been through! How had she managed to jump to such a conclusion? She found it so easy to distrust Peter, to presume he was lying to her before giving him a chance to finish. Disgust swelled within her. He was supposed to be the one person who she could trust wholeheartedly. Yet somehow a rift had been formed, allowing her first instinct to be suspicious of the boy she loved. What had happened to her! Was it Henry's unbearable faith in his family, that they were the ones to be trusted, that had infected her mind? Her nose scrunched as the repulsive thought entered her mind. She wasn't that idiotic. There must be another explanation. Was it the deprivation of oxygen she endured not long before? It was definitely the better sounding option.

"Henry will be waking up soon." Peter exhaled. He carefully lifted her up as he rolled himself off the hammock, gently laying her body back on the material as he did so. "Wait here. I'll be back." He slid out of the tent and as she watched him walk away, Cassandra felt the sudden urge to follow him. She swung her legs over the edge of the hammock and without understanding her motives, crept after him.

Compared to the stuffy tent, the outside air was blissfully cool against her skin. She saw Peter walking across the camp to a small figure curled up on the floor. Lurking around the camp's edge, Cassandra slunk in the direction of Peter and Henry, her eyes wary and alert as they kept watch for any Lost Boys that might notice her. It appeared everyone was too busy to consider her, or her peculiar behaviour, as they fooled around in their small huddles. Eyes darting back to Peter, she glimpsed Henry waking up and beginning to converse with the boy crouched beside him. Once in earshot, Cassandra hovered behind a nearby tree.

"-just a little catnap. The night's still young." Peter's voice travelled to where Cassandra was hidden.

"Wait, I-I remember something. My dad...When I was asleep, I-I could've sworn I heard him calling for me." Cassandra tensed. Did Henry know his Dad was alive?

"Really?" Peter kept up his relaxed composure with ease. Only Cassandra, who knew the mossy eyed boy so well, could hear the false note to his voice.

"It must've been a dream." Henry mumbled and Cassandra was sure she had heard wrong. Was he really giving up? Had Peter finally broken him?

"Well, how can you be sure?" The manipulation Peter was trying to achieve rang loud and clear in Cassandra's ears and she could feel herself growing agitated. She stopped short. Why was she irked by Peter's treatment of Henry? First of all, she shouldn't care about Henry full stop. Secondly, she was on Peter's side, she knew this was necessary if he were to continue living. She didn't understand why she had experienced the absurd reaction to Peter's deception.

"Because... 'cause my dad's dead." Each syllable expressed the grief he felt. The sorrow he possessed, Cassandra had not experienced it for a long, long time. And even then, she was so young it hardly held the awareness that Henry's held at this moment. There was a tug at Cassandra's heartstrings and she quickly shook herself free of the unnerving temptation to pity the boy.

"I'm sorry, Henry. It makes sense for us to dream about the things we've lost and the things we hoped for." Cassandra's heart thumped as Peter said this. She had heard these words before, so very long ago. Her first night in Neverland. Peter had consoled her with the same words he was feeding Henry now.

/

 _Pan seemed to understand her fear. "I'm sorry for what you've been through. That your family never came for you like deep down you hoped they would. That because of them, you've felt astray, never finding home." Cassandra nodded at the truth to his words, her gaze falling to her hands resting heavily on her lap. "But you know-" A breath caught in Cassandra's throat and her eyes sprung back to the boy's face. "-it makes sense to dream about the things we've lost and the things we hoped for." As Cassandra looked into the green eyes that stared back without wavering, she saw the confidence he held not just in what he was saying, but in her._

/

Now, standing behind the tree, she strained her ears to hear the end of Peter's speech. She wished she hadn't.

"-find new things to dream about. And when you do, they'll start to come true." The words hung in the empty air.

Her chest felt as though it had cracked, broken in two. A sharp blade of pain cut through her.

/

 _Pan reached out and placed his hand over hers, she tried to ignore the fire that she felt where he touched her skin._

 _"The thing is Cassandra, you're here now. You can leave that life behind and start your new one here, in Neverland. You can find new things to dream about. And when you do they'll start to come true."_

/

They were the same words. Like a line from a script. Peter said them with such conviction to Henry, it was difficult to see through his façade. She could tell Peter was tricking her brother, but only because she was in on the scheme. That, and she now liked to think she knew Peter well enough that he could never fool her, even if he tried. But all that time ago, when she was a scared girl who had known Neverland's ruler for no more than a few minutes...she hardly knew him at all. She would have fallen for those lines like a child would a fairy-tale.

"How do you know?" Henry asked, his desperation evident. She understood his want, his _need_ to believe Peter- that everything would get better.

"Because that's what I did. And now you're here. Neverland used to be a place where new dreams were born. You can bring that magic back, Henry. And we can be your family."

/

 _"I used to be like you, you know. I never thought I could be truly happy. But then I found Neverland. A place where new dreams are born. Through it I found my family. It can do the same for you, Cassandra. We can be your family."_

 _These words were the most profound Cassandra had ever had the pleasure of hearing. They echoed in her ears and would stay close to her heart for the rest of her days. These were the words that gave her the belief that she wasn't a lost cause, not in Neverland. She could start over. She could be a Lost Boy._

 _She smiled._

 _"You can call me Cassie."_

 _Pan smiled back, the green in his eyes grew brighter._

 _"Well then, Cassie, you can call me Peter."_

/

Peter raised his voice as he yelled to the Lost Boys. "I'd like to play a song, a song for our guest of honour, Henry."

/

 _"Here, let me play you a song." From his jacket, Peter pulled a set of pipes, barely visible in the dim lighting. Cassandra lay back down and waited for the tune. Her heart thudded in anticipation. She had grasped that the instrument was the one the shadow had told her about so many times. It was supposed to produce the most wonderful music but could only be heard by those who felt lost, by Lost Boys. She envied them, she had always been just as lost, just as out of place as them, yet_ they _got the chance to live on Neverland with Peter Pan. She had always wished to hear the magic pipe's beautiful sounds. Its notes would declare her one of Neverland's natives._

 _The moment she heard its music, she would be a Lost Boy._

/

Music filled the camp, floating eerily through the air. Cassandra remained where she was, masked by the shadows. Her trembling hand snaked its way upwards to retrieve the weight hiding beneath her shirt. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, her back to the tree trunk. She was no longer aware of her surroundings; her vision had begun to blur. Instead, she was trapped in her thoughts. Shaky fingers pulled at the chain around her neck.

"You can hear the music now, can't you Henry?"

The object appeared from the neck of her shirt and her unsteady hand clutched at it, her jagged movements coming to a halt.

"Yeah!" The boy's voice was joyful, a large contrast to his mood not two moments ago. A silent tear escaped Cassandra's eye, rolling down her cheek as memories blinded her vision. The locket felt heavy in her grip. The very same locket that she had stolen from a corpse all that time ago. Over time, it had become a symbol of her freedom and escape.

Had it been the same for her then as it was for Henry now? Had she fallen for nothing more than another of Peter Pan's games? Naive, gullible Cassandra wanting someone to trust, someplace to call home. Was everything he had told her a lie?

There was only one way to find out. Making her decision, Cassandra tucked the locket back under her shirt. Wiping her wet cheek, she slipped soundlessly into the trees with the familiar weight of the locket hanging over her heart.


	7. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi guys, I'd love to know what you think about Cassie (whether it be her relationships with the other characters, or about her past), or what you think about the story in general, so feel free to review :)!**

This was absurd. She was being foolish. She should turn around and go back to Peter, he need never know how her confidence in him had wavered. Although these tempting thoughts bounced back and forth in her head, her strides did not waver. Her footsteps remained strong as she travelled through the jungle, their steady rhythm squashing the soft earth. Doubt and guilt filled her; her heart was squeezing uncomfortably in her chest. Her current action acted against every fibre of her being and a small voice in her mind screamed for her to see sense.

Cassandra did not want to believe Henry, that his- their- family was on the _right_ side. The concept that the boy she loved had been manipulating her the entire time, interfering with her life since her birth, was not one she was fond of. Still, she marched on, trying to ease the worries gnawing at her with feeble claims. She trusted Peter. She knew he hadn't lied to her about the twisted nature of her mother. Peter wouldn't do that. Peter wouldn't hurt her.

All she was doing was confirming what she knew to be true. If her mother couldn't provide her with evidence that went against what Cassandra had been led to believe, she would stop doubting the boy who had never done her any wrong. She would go back to trusting him wholeheartedly. Despite this, Cassandra couldn't quite shake the feeling that what she was going to find wouldn't be pleasant.

Her eyes caught sight of footprints littering the soil. They were close. She softened the plunder of her feet and stealthily snuck between the towering trees as she followed the trail. Muffled voices could be heard nearby and Cassandra moved silently towards the noise.

"Neverland's a dangerous place and... you know you- you just never know what's gonna happen. So-" Cassandra groaned internally as the familiar voice stumbled over its words.

"David." A soft voice cut him off. "You're gonna be fine."

The rest of the exchange was too quiet for Cassandra to hear but she presumed it was a set of soppy goodbyes. Why the need for such dramatics, Charming was probably just going for a leak and would be back within five minutes. The rustle of branches sounded and Charming and Hook emerged from the shrubbery. They strode past her hidden form without a second glance and delved further into the jungle.

Once their footsteps had died down, the blonde snuck through the bushes to Henry's rescue team. She hovered on the outskirts of the clearing as she studied the three women. They appeared calmer than the last time she had seen them but she could see the worried crease of their foreheads. Emma's posture was tense as she took a deep breath and looked up to the sky.

"Let's get on with it, shall we?" Regina was blunt, not wanting to waste time.

"How exactly are we going to catch a Lost Boy?" Snow White asked perplexed. Cassandra's brows furrowed. What exactly did the trio have in mind?

"Well they must be running about somewhere. We just hide and wait for them to come along." Emma said plainly.

"Really? That's your plan? Just wait like sitting ducks!" Regina snapped.

"What would you suggest? We go and search because forgive me Regina but we don't seem to be that great at searching." She then pointed at the ground to a path beaten by footsteps. "There's a heck of a lot of footsteps 'round here, which means that Lost Boys must pass through here most of the time."

Cassandra scoffed, this was ridiculous.

"And what will you do once you've actually caught a Lost Boy?" Cassandra huffed as she announced her presence. She smirked at the way the women jolted with surprise.

After a moment's hesitation, the three women sprung into action. Snow White aimed an arrow at Cassandra and Emma readied the dagger in her hands. Regina stood there tensed, prepared to attack the blonde with magic the instant she moved.

"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done so already." Cassandra sighed as she begrudgingly put her hands up.

"What do you want?" Regina spat, her anger boiling over.

"To ask some questions." She eyed the unconvinced looks Emma was shooting her. "I didn't come here on Peter's orders if that's what you're worried about."

"Do you think we're going to believe that after you tried to kill us?" Regina asked grimly.

"Actually, it was only Emma I tried to kill." She nodded stiffly to the wide-eyed woman. "The rest of you aren't particularly worth my time-"

Pain shot through Cassandra's back as she was thrown into a tree.

"Not this again." She muttered.

/

 _Excited patters of rain tapped around her. Outstretched arms were soothed by the cool splashes of water against her warm skin. Cassandra tilted her head back and allowed the droplets to dance on her closed eyelids. Inhaling deeply, she revelled in the sensation as it tickled her skin and awakened her senses._

 _"What do you love so much about the rain?" A grouchy voice resonated from her left. She opened her eyes, smiling at the glittering sight on the tips of her lashes._

 _"What's not to love?" She turned to see a gloomy Devin glaring angrily at the rain as it touched him from where he stood underneath a tree._

 _"It's wet, cold and makes the ground all muddy."_

 _"Devin, you miserable oaf, you live outside for god's sake. Man up." She twirled and kicked at a puddle sending a spray of water to the boy. At the sight of his sopping clothes and expression to match, Cassandra burst into a fit of chuckles._

 _"Oh shut it." He lunged at her but Cassandra was too quick. She leapt out the way, sliding her leg out so he was knocked off his feet. A squelch sounded as his face slapped the wet earth. Her body heaved as she was overcome by laughter, the vibrations shaking her limbs. Unable to hold herself up, she collapsed to the ground beside the boy._

 _Thick mud caked Devin's face as he peeled his head away from the filth, leaving an imprint in the ground. The sight sent her into another tizzy, gasping for oxygen between her wheezing laughs. The rain began to beat more heavily and Cassandra sprawled onto her back. Sliding her arms and legs through the sodden dirt, she made Neverland's equivalent of a snow angel. The island's lack of snow bothered her somewhat, no snowball fights, no snow forts- but on the other hand, snow was very,_ very _cold._

 _"What in God's name are you doing?"_

 _Cassandra lifted her head to see a nest of fiery red sitting atop an amused face._

 _"Darrel! I was just enlightening this fool as to the meaning of 'fun'." She flopped her head back to the mud, smirking as she heard Devin groan._

 _"Please keep this idiot away from me." He grumbled as he staggered to his feet. A grinning Darrel paced towards the peculiar girl on the ground._

 _"Shut up the both of you, I know you secretly get along." He held his hand out and Cassandra begrudgingly took it. "Pan's looking for you by the way, said it was important."_

 _Interest peaked, the blonde bid them farewell and ran off to where she knew Peter would be. The pair of boys watched her filth covered back disappear between the trees._

 _"She's definitely something." Darrel muttered at the same time Devin said-_

 _"We do_ not _get along."_

/

"Relax, I'm not here to hurt her _now_." Cassandra took a deep breath and tried to soften her tone. "I just want to talk."

"About what?" Emma spoke up, intrigue in her tone.

"You getting rid of me." Confusion flashed across Emma's face before the realisation sunk in and the woman grimaced.

"...oh." Emma swallowed uncomfortably.

"You're seriously not falling for this, are you?" Regina demanded.

"Regina." Snow scolded, her soft voice gaining a sharp edge.

"What! She waltzes in here after trying to kill Emma, and you believe her when she says she isn't doing this as one of Pan's twisted games?"

"Regina." Emma gestured for her to come closer. The trio edged to the other side of the clearing and began whispering to each other.

Stuck waiting, Cassandra gazed idly around at the trees. She wondered what Peter was doing, if he'd returned to the tent and noticed her absence. If he had, it was unlikely he'd search for her. It wasn't unlike her to wander around despite his orders.

"Why should we trust you?" Emma's query woke Cassandra from her thoughts. She observed the blonde woman who was now stood a few feet in front of her. Cassandra couldn't see the resemblance. Apart from the bright blonde hair there was no telling they were related at all. She felt as though she looked more like her father, the same jawline and same brown eyes of melted chocolate. This she was glad of, she certainly preferred Neal over Emma. After spending many months with him and Tamara, Cassandra had discovered that her father was a half tolerable man.

Watching Emma thoughtfully, Cassandra wondered how to answer the blonde. A snide remark would get her nowhere. An elaborate answer would sound like trickery. So, Cassandra decided to go with something short and sweet. Something honest.

"Because I'm willing to trust _you_."

Emma's mouth opened slowly, no words emerged and it clamped shut. She blinked at the sincere look on Cassandra's face. Clearing her throat, Emma opened her mouth once more.

"What would you like to know?"

Cassandra grew nervous. This was it. Her chance to find out the truth.

"What happened after I was born?"

Emma paused for a moment, preparing herself. "I was eighteen. I was too young to take care of one child never mind two." Emma's wall of confidence was down as her eyes flickered nervously around, avoiding eye contact. "So, I did the sensible thing, I put you and Henry up for adoption and I never saw you again. You have to understand, I wanted the both of you to have your best chance."

Cassandra frowned.

"That's it?"

"Well, yeah?" Emma eyebrows furrowed with bewilderment.

"So, you didn't send me to another realm?"

"What? Of course not, I didn't even know magic existed then!" Emma said earnestly.

"Prove it."

Now Emma was also frowning. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Wait, that's the lie Pan's been feeding you?" Regina exclaimed. "Wow, he's got his claws in you real deep."

"Shut up." Cassandra hissed. This was a mistake. They had no evidence. All they were going to do, was insult Peter.

"Regina, not helping." Emma sighed before turning back to Cassandra. "Look, I don't know what kind of proof you want, you don't seem like you'll believe anything I say. It's my word against Pan's."

"Just try...please." Cassandra's voice was weak. She knew in that moment that she was incapable of strolling back to Peter's camp and trusting him with her whole self. She knew that what he had told her was not correct, only now the flaws in the tale were showing themselves. Nonetheless, Cassandra couldn't bring herself to believe Emma without a shred of proof. If this incident with Peter had reminded her of anything, it was that trust was a dangerous thing.

"I grew up as an orphan. I believed my parents had abandoned me. I grew up feeling so lost and alone." Emma began, her voice faltering occasionally. "The last thing I wanted to do was put my own children into the same situation I was once in. If I had known about magic, if I had known I _had_ magic, maybe I wouldn't have felt so helpless. I could've provided for you and Henry. I could've done what I wanted most in that moment. I could have kept you."

Silence swallowed the group; Emma was choked up; Regina had fallen silent; Snow was clearly upset as she listened to her daughter's story. Cassandra blinked and felt moisture on her cheek. She didn't know when she had started crying. She was pathetic. She never cried, crying was for the over sentimental- the weak willed.

Regina withdrew her magic and Cassandra was able to step away from the tree. Shutting her eyes, the girl took three deep breaths. _One_. Peter lied, he had messed with her life to find Henry. _Two_. Who knew what else he had lied to her about. _Three_. She could make up for it, she could save Henry.

Her eyes flew open.

"So, what's this about needing a Lost Boy?" She smiled, a cunning glint in her eyes.

/

 _The rain had halted leaving the soil on Cassandra's back to solidify. Her hair was now crisp and stick-like with its brown coating hiding its true colour. The sensation was mildly uncomfortable but if Peter was waiting for her with supposedly important news then she had no time to wash and change._

 _Finally, she skipped through the last section of shrubbery. The leaves brushing her skin fell back to reveal a large sturdy tree. It's trunk wider, and reaching higher, than those of the surrounding trees. Her eyes skimmed each of the branches until they landed upon the slouching figure. Scurrying forwards, she gripped her hands on the coarse bark, feeling it scratch her palms. She sprung off the balls of her feet and scaled the tree with ease. Her fingers knowing where to grab, her feet automatically moving to the miniscule crannies._

 _The expanse of time she had spent in Neverland had given her enough practice so that climbing trees, once strenuous, was now swift and uncomplex. Cassandra cherished the feel of her muscles pushing her higher and higher, the ability to escape using only her own mind and body rather than magic. Toes stepping carefully onto a branch, she inched across before reaching to the branch above._

 _Her arms looped around the wood, lifting her upwards whilst her legs swung and hooked onto it, allowing her leverage to pull herself up. Now seated, she had no concern of falling due to the branch's considerable size and blatant strength. Her body relaxed. Muscles thrumming happily from the brief exertion._

 _"A little bird said you were looking for me." She smiled playfully at Peter who had been absentmindedly watching her climb. He returned her grin._

 _"The little bird was right." He leaned forward, pulling her into a deep kiss. His searing lips moved against hers and Cassandra's fingers locked themselves in his hair. She felt his hand drift to her cheek, cupping her face. She stifled a groan as he withdrew slightly._

 _"Why are you covered in mud?" He smiled against her mouth, his breath tickling her lips. Softly, he planted another kiss on her lips and her eyes fluttered open, meeting vibrant green._

 _"I may have gotten a little excited by the rain." She blushed, pulled back, and tucked her knotted hair behind her ear._

 _"You don't say." He smirked as he fiddled with a section of muddy strands. She snatched it back, allowing it to flop and hide the rosy tinge that now blossomed on her cheeks._

 _"Was there another reason you wanted to see me? Or did you just fancy a bit of a snog?" She said, wiggling her brows. She was surprised as a flash of sadness blew across his face. However, it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, a steely grin taking its place._

 _"I have rather wonderful news." A frenzied lust for power oozed from his eyes._

 _"What is it?" Cassandra's eyes grew alight, gleaming manically._

 _"We found him." She found herself tilting forwards, ears eager for the boy's next words. "Your father."_

/

Cassandra grew uneasy as she entered Peter's camp, she felt exposed without the comforting weight of her locket around her neck. Lost Boys were dancing about, oblivious to her as she weaved her way between them.

Unbeknownst to her, Devin was watching her, perplexed by her behaviour. He noted how her eyes hardly left the ground, as if she were frightened to meet the gaze of anyone. Filing away this anomaly, he resumed the festivities of the camp.

"Henry." Cassandra nudged the slouched figure. He jumped up and turned to her with a start.

"Oh, it's you." Henry breathed, his rigid stance relaxing. "Look, I'm sorry about before."

Cassandra raised a brow, staring in perplexity. "Huh?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably and expanded on his apology. "What I said about ou- my mom. Clearly you have your reasons for hating her and I shouldn't have tried arguing against you. Like you said, maybe I don't know her as well as I thought." He sighed and his shoulders slumped. "I mean I haven't even heard from them since I got here. As far as I know they might've just given up on me..."

Some form of emotion filled Cassandra. It was a vile combination of dread, sympathy and panic. Peter had convinced Henry. Which meant he was further along in this game than she had anticipated.

"Henry, no!" She exclaimed quietly. "You were right, you were right! They're here Henry. They've come to save you." Something flashed through his eyes at her words.

"S-stop it. You're messing with me, I said I was sorry okay!"

Stubborn dimwit. Cassandra gritted her teeth with frustration. Remembering the object in her pocket, she slipped out the mirror she had been given. Once Emma had explained why they wanted a Lost Boy, Cassandra had immediately volunteered her services. Of course, this had been met with Regina's objections but after a rather heated argument between the three of them (Snow being the neutral party on the side-line), Emma and Cassandra had managed to convince the Evil Queen that Neverland's female Lost Boy was their best bet.

Regina had demanded they at least take Cassandra's heart to ensure she couldn't trick them. Cassandra was appalled by the notion. Did they really expect her to hand over her free will that simply? She had threatened to withdraw her assistance at which point Snow had leapt to her aid. She had reasoned calmly with Regina and at last it was concluded that Cassandra would keep her heart. In exchange however, she would take with her a mirror Regina had enchanted _and_ , to reduce any chances of betrayal, she had to give them something of personal value.

She hated handing over the locket but it was the only option in that moment, every second they wasted arguing brought Henry one second closer to having his heart ripped out. Hence why she now stood in front of her brother, heart beating steadily in her chest, and neck feeling empty without the familiar chain.

"I can prove it." She said gently to the boy. "Look."

Henry took the mirror from her and as he looked into it he saw three welcome faces. Having done her job, Cassandra shuffled around Henry and sat at the base of a tree. The energetic voices of Henry and the three women became muffled, Cassandra taking this moment to assess the situation.

For the second time in her life since acquiring it, Cassandra did not have her locket. This had not happened since a slight mishap during her early days in Neverland when the Lost Boys had pinched it as a joke. Slight worry settled in the pit of her stomach. The trio did not know what was in the small capsule and she did not want them finding out. However, Regina wouldn't be able to open the locket.

After the incident with the Lost Boys, Peter had queried why she was so distressed by the prank. She explained the significance the locket held and Peter was completely empathetic. He had then cast a spell on it so that it could be opened only by her, or rather, her bloodline. She was the only person of her bloodline in Neverland therefore at the time, it was perfect. The kindness he conveyed in that moment caused Cassandra to realise she was beginning to fall for the boy.

Cassandra sincerely hoped neither Emma nor Snow would be inclined to open it.

/

 _Light refracted through the water, dancing across her face. Shapes swirling with the gentle flow of the river. All traces of mud were gone from her skin and hair, leaving the water clear as it swallowed her. A sea of blonde bellowed around her, encasing Cassandra in her thoughts._

 _Although Peter's news had been terrific, she couldn't manage to assuage the dread lodged in her chest. This task would involve leaving Neverland, leaving Peter. Neither of them knew exactly how long it would take for her to reach her brother considering that she needed to gain her father's trust before the plan could move forward. That had always been the plan and Cassandra knew its significance if she wanted to keep Peter alive. Yet, she had always felt like this moment would never arrive, that she would continue her life in the bubble of timeless bliss that was Neverland._

 _As lungs began to itch, she reluctantly dove for the surface. She inhaled sharply and warm air pooled into her lungs. Droplets beaded on her skin, trickling down her face as they returned to the body of water below. Swiping the hair from her eyes, she glided to the rock on the bank, and picked up the clothing Peter had given her. It wasn't her usual attire, but rather what they would be wearing where she was about to go. She wrinkled her nose at the pale lilac top, any colour brighter than brown or green felt alien to her. The trousers were better at least, with their black colouring, despite the unusual tight fitting._

 _She dragged herself from the water, figuring the drenched clothes would soon dry from the blistering warmth of the air. The trousers choked her legs and she couldn't deny it was unbelievably uncomfortable as they rubbed against her skin._

 _Peter said that she would be meeting up with a woman named Tamara and go undercover as the woman's adopted daughter. From there they would acquaint themselves with Cassandra's father and through him they would get into contact with Henry. Until the plan was finished, she wouldn't see Peter again. The prospect created swirling nausea, spiralling down to her heart._

 _Refusing to go, was not an option that had even crossed her mind. Although neither her nor Peter wanted to part for such an expanse of time, there was no choice. This mission benefitted them both and they could not continue their life together if Cassandra did not go through with it._

/

"It's Pan." Henry said alarmed. At the mention of the Peter, Cassandra snapped out of her reminiscing. Even his name would still send her heart in a flurry. She felt like a boulder had dropped in her chest as she discovered something...

Regardless of Peter's deception, of how he had played her for so, so long, he had still been there for her. He had built her up when she felt as though she was running on dainty wisps of energy. Regardless of the wrong he had done, Cassandra was still inexorably in love with him.

Henry dropped the mirror, hurriedly smashing it with his foot and burying it under the dirt. He then flopped down next to her before Peter rounded the corner.

"Why do you get called a Lost Boy anyway, shouldn't it be Lost Girl?" He asked, trying to appear as if they were mid conversation. Cassandra looked at him blankly. _That_ was the best he could come up with?

"Are you serious?"

Peter's eyes widened momentarily as he noticed the two of them talking. Cassandra caught his eye and he winked before slipping away into the throng of Lost Boys about the camp. Her heart leapt with a combination of relief and dread: relieved that he was unsuspicious; dreading the outcome of the path she was currently on- helping the supposed enemy.

She groaned silently at the sheepish look on Henry's face. "I'd always wanted a place to fit in. A place to belong. All the time growing up, I'd hear stories about _Peter Pan and the Lost Boys._ I'd wish I could go to Neverland and live there with them. Then when I got the chance to, I didn't want to feel like an outcast. I wanted the same title they had, I wanted to be a Lost Boy. Lost Girl didn't have quite the same ring."

Henry nodded with a smile. Glad she had answered his question.

"I was also wondering why everyone calls you Andie."

"Because that's my name."

"How come I can't call you that then?"

"It's a name reserved for people I _like_." She clarified. Hurt washed over Henry's face and Cassandra winced. She sighed in annoyance. "I never said you couldn't call me that." She mumbled. She was becoming too soft.

Henry beamed. Joy shining from him like sun rays. Cassandra almost regretted her words. Almost.

"So what was it like- where you grew up?" He fired another question at her. "Y-you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He added, second guessing his curiosity.

"No, I'll tell you." She was surprised at herself for opening up, but the words kept pouring out. "But it's not exactly unicorns and rainbows."

Henry stayed quiet. Inhaling deeply, Cassandra braced herself.

"I lived in an orphanage on the outskirts of a small village. Nox orphanage." Vivid memories played in her mind. "Madame Nox was...quite the character. No hesitation to drive your mood or will-power into the ground. No second glance at the bruises or scars she caused on your face." She absentmindedly traced the silvery mark on her temple. "Let's just say insolence was one of the many things she didn't appreciate." She cringed, telling Henry this, it was exposing. She felt vulnerable and it wasn't a sensation she enjoyed. "God I sound pathetic."

"No. You don't." The conviction in his tone caused her timid gaze to dart to his face. His intense stare bored into her.

"There's only so much torment a little girl can take, but I took it in stride, I suppose. What else was there to do?" She shrugged. "It wasn't till I was ten that I took matters into my own hands. They all thought I was insane, Madame Nox was going to send me to the looney house. So I ran away in the middle of the night…" She trailed off, falling into silence for a moment before snapping out of her daze.

"But all of that. It taught me that you have to be tough in life. You can't be coddled. You can't have others shelter you from pain. It will always hunt you down unless you learn to take care of yourself. Trust became a rare commodity I did not hand out carelessly."

"But you trust my family." He interjected.

"Trust can get you killed." She shot back. "Those who betray it...you have to get them back. Peter tricked me, he knows the game, and he's no exception to the rules." Cassandra half lied. Peter would always be her exception but in this instance, she felt as though she had to make it up to her family. The hatred she felt towards them her whole life, though unjust, could not be vanquished so easily. Her revenge on Peter was her directing that ill-feeling from them towards him, however half-hearted it may be.

She didn't know when it had happened, but she had grown fond of her brother. His resilience was admirable. Cassandra's gut screamed at her to save his life, he was innocent and deserved to have the happy family life she never had. On the other hand, her heart wrenched and twisted whenever she acted against Peter and she didn't know if she could bring herself to continue saving Henry. Her brother's life would mean her lover's death. She would have to choose between them. It wasn't that she didn't know who she'd save. On the contrary, she was fearful precisely because she had already chosen.

It has always been a war between her head and her heart. Her brain strove for survival, teeming with the hateful revenge she had acquired growing up. Her heart was a thing of sentiment. It was weakness.

In the end no matter how much she fought it, the same one won. Every time.

"Henry, I need you to listen to me." She choked out what little warning she could give. "You have to be careful around Peter. He's always been one for self-preservation." A sad smile graced her lips and she walked away, disappearing into the bushes. She would fight it as long as she could.

/

 _Heading back to the camp, she found her eyes soaking in her surroundings with a newfound appreciation. She already sensed the homesickness she would experience when she was gone. She wanted to ensure she could remember Neverland thoroughly: the array of greens; the feel of the heavy air on her skin; the sounds of the birds and beetles; the soft dirt that squelched beneath her toes._

 _How she would survive being away from not just the island, but also its inhabitants, was beyond her. The Lost Boys. Their replacement would be 'Tamara' and Cassandra had a feeling she would be a very poor substitute. No more silly games every day. Less opportunity to carry out pranks. The next few months were going to drag for sure._

 _Gingerly, she entered the camp feeling daft in the peculiar clothing that clung to her frame._

 _"Whoa Andie, didn't realise you were a girl." Devin hollered as he eyed her figure that was normally hidden by her loose-fitting outfit. Cassandra growled and crouched down, picking up a nearby rock. She threw it at him, her lips curling into a smirk as he ducked to avoid it hitting his face._

 _Ignoring the questioning looks from the other Lost Boys lounging about, she hurried to the other edge of the camp where she could see Peter and Felix._

 _"Do I have to wear this?" She moaned upon reaching them. "It's bloody uncomfortable." The pair's murmurings halted as she announced her presence. Their startled eyes flitted to her, inspecting the clothing she was complaining about._

 _"I think it would help if you weren't drenched." Peter clicked his fingers and Cassandra felt immediate relief as her clothes turned bone dry. The trousers were still tighter than what she was used to, but they were certainly comfier than before._

 _"Thanks." She tucked herself against his side, smiling as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He pressed a kiss against her temple, by the scar that still snaked across her skin._

 _"Are you ready?" He asked, his lips next to her ear. Repressing the urge to listen to her screaming heart, she nodded firmly. There was no other way. Even if she had known how Peter's heart was also screaming, she had to do this. For the sake of them both._

 _Felix slouched away so it was just her and Peter. His grip on her tightened and she turned in his grasp to lock him in an embrace. He buried his face into her hair and stretched his arms over her back, holding her to him._

 _"I'll miss you." Her voice was hoarse and her eyes burned._

 _"I know you'll return to me, Cassie." He muffled into her shoulder before pulling back and staring into her eyes. "I trust you."_

 _Three words overflowing with the affection he had for her. Trust was something they both knew had a high price, to place their trust in each other held more significance than anything else. Cassandra knew what he meant by those words, which is why she didn't hesitant to cover his mouth with hers._

 _Untold emotion seeped from the kiss, unspoken words rolling from their lips. She clutched at his shirt, as if he would disappear the second she released him. Behind her closed eyes were dazzling flames, twirling madly with the passionate movement of their mouths. Through the lingering of lips, they revealed how much they would miss one another. Searching his eyes, Cassandra found an endless pit of fierce devotion._

 _Blinded by her love, she was incognizant of the other emotion swirling within those windows of electrifying emerald. If only she had paused for a moment longer, she would have recognised the aberration as unshared secrets. Unshared secrets… and guilt._

/

Legs slung lazily on either side of the branch, Cassandra lay hidden in the green blanket of the trees. Eyes shut, she tried to shove the troubles from her mind but it was futile. Try as she might, her thoughts couldn't help but wander back to the responsibility weighing down on her shoulders.

There was an abrupt shift in the air and she smiled. Peeling open her heavy eyelids, her veins hummed as her eyes lay upon the boy before her. His dark green and brown attire blending beautifully with the surroundings. To deny that Peter belonged here, in Neverland, would be ludicrous.

"Hello Cassie. Thought I'd find you here."

"Just wanted to get away from it all." She shrugged.

"You don't need to explain." Gracefully, he got to his feet, his impeccable balance preventing him from toppling to the ground. "Move over." Cassandra shimmied forwards so she was away from the tree trunk and Peter stepped off the branch. Instead of slicing through the air, his feet stayed level with the platform as a green glow swelled around his feet. It was the pixie dust he possessed and used frequently. Personally, she wasn't fond of the stuff. Flying was for birds in her opinion.

She watched as the legs paced to the tree trunk before swinging themselves into place behind her own. Leaning back, she nestled against Peter's chest, welcoming the familiar beat of his heart. His hands snaked around her waist, the embrace sending ecstasy through her body. There was a moment of tranquillity that seemed to stretch into eternity.

"What's wrong?" His breath tickled the top of her head.

Cassandra sighed, for an instant, her worries had fled. For her heart had been full, basking in the blissful ambience of just the two of them. The powerful organ incapable of filling itself with dread or guilt.

But now, the atmosphere had ended, the peace she had felt was not timeless. A reminder that even on the island where time stood still, nothing could last forever.

"It's just- with them here- I feel as helpless as I did all those years ago. Like nothing's changed." She shuddered at her declaration. It wasn't a lie. She did feel helpless. But only due to a conflict of conscience.

"You were never helpless, not for a second. Not once did you accept defeat, you fought time and time again. The fact that you're sitting here now, with me, shows that they didn't win. You beat them and they have nothing on you." Soft but firm, his words seeped through her pores, soothing her in the way only he could.

"But... I don't feel like myself." Tiptoeing around her choice of words, speech cautiously trickled from her mouth.

"It's probably because you're not wearing your locket." Cassandra tensed. "You didn't think I wouldn't notice, did you?"

"How did you know it wasn't on me?" She tried desperately to stall the conversation from where it was headed, simultaneous racking her brain for a reason.

"I'd like to say I sensed it. That you feel incomplete without its comforting weight over your heart and I could tell something wasn't quite right." His voice was low and gruff, sending tingling sensations along her arms. "But the more plausible explanation, would be that I noticed the absence of a chain on your neck."

She almost smacked herself. Wasn't she quite the genius? Missing such an apparent detail in her childish revenge scheme aggravated her incredibly. The blatant error, it made her question how she'd survived so long. Internal scolding came to a standstill at the feeling on her neck.

Head bowed down, Peter pressed his lips to her collarbone. Though brief, the warmth of the kiss emanated ripples of euphoria through her body all the way to her fingertips.

"Right here." He purred against the spot on her neck where the chain would usually lie. "So, are you going to tell me where it is, or are you going to keep avoiding my question?"

"They have it." She confessed. Her heart thundering in her chest. "Emma, Regina, Snow. I ran into them and the only way they would let me go would be if I gave them something. Regina is one scary woman when she's angry, and considering the magic she possesses, I panicked. They tried to take the locket and I let them."

"Why did they want something from you?" He purred thoughtfully against her exposed neck.

"I don't know, a bargaining chip, a-" She cut off as the thought hit her like a tsunami. "A tracking spell." She whimpered. The two of them froze.

"It'll lead them straight to you, to the camp." Peter's voice was hard as stone.

"Peter I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't. It's fine. I'll retrieve it. Just don't go back to the camp until I've gotten it back." He began to get up, forcing Cassandra to slide away from him.

"No." She spun and grabbed his ankle. "I'll get it. It was my mistake." Before he could shake her off she got shakily to her feet. "Promise me you'll let me do it."

"I can get it back faster."

"Peter." She spoke, her voice no more than a whisper. "Please."

Staring into her eyes, he saw the desperate desire to fix her mistake. She held his gaze and subconsciously, her face drifted towards his. Her lips brushed his, and she halted, waiting for his verdict. At last, Peter's head gave the slightest of nods. It wasn't just permission to make up for the error that could have ended disastrously, it was forgiveness for the error itself. The relief she felt in that moment was all she needed to spur her on.

Their lips locked and she leaned into him, eyes fluttering shut. This was not a kiss of frenzied lust or passion. It was purer than that. Souls stripped bare, leaving emotions exposed. Underneath his cool exterior, Peter was frightened. He was frightened of death and how he would be caught in its clutches if his plan failed. But Peter also loved her. Hours ago, she had been uncertain, blinded by panic and doubt. But now, in this moment, there was no confliction in her mind. He loved her just as she loved him. Regardless of what he may have done, through it all he had kept her safe and cared for her in spite of the weakness it left within him.

Their mouths slowed and all too soon, Peter pulled away, a stream of humid air washing over her lips. Opening her eyes, she found she was alone. Peter had gone. Her fingertips traced her lips, where his warm touch lingered. She smiled to herself as the sparks continued to whizz about within her chest.

She crouched down and fell from the branch, gripping the rough surface with her hands to catch herself. Releasing her hold, she dropped to the ground with a thud and rolled to her feet. As she had reminded herself before, there was always a war between her head and her heart. No matter how much she tried to be completely efficient, allowing only instinct to plague her mind, her emotions always won.

It had happened when she fled the orphanage. Survival instinct. But then when meeting Paolo, she fell into the trap of trusting him. Still the same naive girl. She discovered she had made a mistake soon enough.

She remained part of Papa Bates' band of thieves for years. Growing powerful and staying safe within the shelter Bates provided. Her heart eventually thwarted practicality when she slaughtered the man to gain freedom. To gain the chance to find a new life. She thought that she had made the right choice then, it led her to Peter after all.

Only now did she realise she had waltzed into another trap. One of Peter's games. And now he had captured her love. Her mind wanted revenge, but her heart wanted Peter safe.

She may have lost the game. But Peter did too. For he had also succumbed to the temptations of the heart when he fell for her.

She sprinted off through the jungle.

To do what her heart wanted.

Because although her head may keep her alive, a life without her heart- without the boy who held it- was a life not worth living.


	8. Chapter 6

**A/N: Two words: Echo cave**

Felix observed Pan as he peered through the telescope. The smug expression on his face indicated that everything was going according to plan. The Storybrooke residents were scurrying along the trail laid out for them like mice. Pan pulled the telescope away, letting it hang in his grip at his side.

"Look at them go." Pan sneered. "So determined to find their missing friend." The boy exhaled heavily, gaze still fixed to the faint figures in the distance.

"Has Andie reached them?" Felix drawled, presuming the girl was on his mind.

"Not yet. Shouldn't be long now though. She left in... quite the hurry." His eyes flashed mischievously. Pan had, very briefly, filled Felix in on their recent exchanges. The Lost Boy knew, whatever Andie had done, it had affected Pan more than she knew.

"Can I ask, how did you know something was amiss?"

Peter grinned slyly. "She didn't react when I told her Baelfire was alive. She had already seen him. Yet something was whirring about in that head of hers, something that made his existence become insignificant."

Pan's need for precautions was understandable. "How long do you think she'll take to retrieve it?" He asked slowly.

"I expect she'll remain with them until they've found Baelfire. I doubt our dear Captain will let her leave before then." Pan smirked.

"In that case, what should we do with Baelfire?" Felix nodded his head in the direction of the cage.

"It's time to move him. Take him to the echo cave." Pan answered. He inhaled sharply, a dark look in his eyes. "The game is about to get interesting."

/

 _Navigating her way through the crowded streets, Cassandra was overwhelmed by the deafening noise. Metal carriages sped along solid rivers of black and swarms of people rushed in all directions._

 _The sun had been clambering from its bed when Peter's shadow had dropped her off in the bustling city. Pulling her hand from her pocket, she had opened up the crumpled scrap of paper. Scribbled in Felix's handwriting, was an address._

 _At the time, Cassandra had dismissed the difficulty of finding the location. Unfortunately, her navigation skills seemed void in this land. After only an hour, her dismissal was swiftly revoked. Cassandra was squeezing through the mass of pedestrians- fed up with being shoved and bouncing off people, reverberating through the crowds. Figuring that attacking those who squashed her would not help her blend in, she settled for pushing them out the way as she clawed a path through the horde._

 _As time passed, her determined searching began to feel like aimless wandering and eventually, she accepted defeat. She collapsed onto a bench, completely drained. The day was drawing to a close: the sun, her only companion throughout the day, had given up and decided to abandon her. It had moved behind the building towering over her, leaving her in shadow. Never in her life had she seen constructions so tall. They made even the tallest of trees back in Neverland, look like mice._

 _The mere thought of her home filled her with longing._

 _She wished she could go back. This city was far too different: there was too much noise, too many people, everything was so busy; it felt like nobody stopped to breathe. But Neverland. It was peaceful enough that it was neither overwhelming nor mind nulling. The perfect balance._

 _Rubbing her face, she sighed. There was no point getting emotional now, she needed to get on with what she came here to do. She spotted someone wobbling down the street and hollered at them as they passed. The man turned towards her as she leapt up from her seat. It was the puffy red eyes she noticed first, and then, only as she stopped in front of them, did she realise they were drunk. The man was looking at her expectantly and she figured it was worth a shot- she didn't have much to lose. She showed them the address and their eyes lit up. Relief filled her at the thought of finally finding where she was supposed to be. They gave the directions and Cassandra grimaced as their breath assaulted her nose. The man spewed gibberish about following the rainbow and turning right at the unicorn. He smiled and walked off, swaying as he went. Cassandra remained still, a blank look on her face._

 _She must have been desperate, to think an intoxicated person would give her valid directions._

/

Racing through the jungle, Cassandra's heart beat rapidly with panic. She had to fix her mistake. She had been tricked, by both parties it would seem. The only difference between them being that she didn't care about what Peter had done. She still loved him.

Green blurred in her vision as she sped past the tall plants amongst the trees. Her legs burned as they catapulted her further and further along her journey. Her ears perked as she heard the rustle of bushes nearby and she skidded to a halt.

"It... it was just a kiss." Emma's voice floated through the air.

"I'm sure Neal will understand."

Cassandra bent over, trying to get her breath back. Were they having a mother-daughter chat about _kissing_ at a time like this?

" _If_ he's still alive." It seemed Peter had revealed Neal's presence on the island. Only then did it hit Cassandra that she hadn't told Emma earlier he was alive. Oh well. They knew now anyhow. What she wanted to know was why Peter had told them. She shrugged it off, she would find out later. He must have had something planned. The boy always did.

"Emma, I get what you're doing, you know. You don't want to open yourself up to the hope that he's still alive, but you should."

Slight respect for Emma rose within Cassandra. The restraint to not blindly believe Peter, just because Neal's life was hanging in the balance. The ability to push down your heart's desires was admirable.

"Why?" Emma queried. Cassandra shook herself from her thoughts. She'd been overanalysing a lot recently. The fault of Neverland's visitors, they had brought out the internal conflict within her. She needed to think less, act more.

"Because you deserve a happy ending, Emma. And happy endings always start with hope." Snow responded simply. Screw hope, it had never gotten her anywhere. Cassandra shoved through the final barrier of leaves that separated her from the pair.

"Speaking of hope." She grinned slyly. "I was hoping I could have my locket back now."

"Cassandra." Emma said, startled.

"Good to see you too." She walked towards them. "I upheld my end of the deal. So, can I have the locket?"

"Uh, yeah sure." Emma said quickly, caught off guard by the girl's blunt speech. She reached for her neck, slipping the chain over her head.

"Swan!" Hook's voice burst into their conversation. "What're you doing!" Cassandra growled as the man rushed forward, snatching the locket.

"Hey!" Emma snapped. "It's not how it seems. She helped us. The locket is hers. We're giving it back."

"What do you mean she helped you? I told you, you can't trust anything she does or says. She's almost as bad as Pan in that regard." He glared at the girl, anger radiating from him.

"Hook." Emma's firm voice commanded his attention. His gaze flickered to her. "I know you don't trust her. But she really did help us. She told Henry we were coming to get him. We know she did. We owe her."

"She's right, Hookey boy." Cassandra's smile was overly sweet. Hook lurched towards her but was yanked backwards as Charming grabbed his shoulder.

"Why would she go against Pan? She has no reason to betray him."

"Ask her yourself." Emma stated. Hook slumped in defeat causing Charming to release his hold. Hook looked to Cassandra, the question swimming in his eyes.

"Peter tricked me. I found out he was the reason I grew up living the life that I did." She answered with a smirk, her eyes flashed. "You know me Hook... I do _love_ justice."

"You're doing this as revenge? I thought you valued him a little more than that, after having followed him all this time like a lovesick puppy." He spat.

"Hook!" Emma exclaimed. "Are you trying to get her to turn against us?"

"It's fine Emma." Cassandra drawled, unfazed by the man's rant. "You don't get this far if you let a _pirate's_ words get under your skin."

Taking the locket from Hook, Emma went to give it to Cassandra. The girl held her hand out expectantly.

"Listen to me. As soon as you give her that locket she'll go and stab us in the back." Emma's arm stilled, the item still in her grip.

"She did what we asked. We're giving her that locket whether you like it or not." Snow told him.

"Then at least wait." Hook pleaded. "Wait until we've found Neal, then do whatever you want."

"Wait... you're searching for Neal?" Cassandra furrowed her brows.

"Yeah. Pan told us he's alive." Emma squirmed uncomfortably under her daughter's gaze. The way she rushed through her sentence indicated the prospect was hard for Emma to think about.

"No I mean, you're not searching for Henry? For the camp?"

"We are!" Emma defended. "Or we will... We figured it'd be safer to find Neal before Henry."

"So the locket... you weren't using it?" She queried, her tone baffled.

"Why would we use it? It's just a locket. _How_ would we even use it?" Emma asked slowly, cautiously. "It was a safety net. We told you that."

"I thought..." Cassandra trailed off at the look in her mother's eyes. It was evident that both she and Snow were oblivious as to what Cassandra was insinuating. They truly had been ensuring Cassandra would deliver their message to Henry. The concept of using a tracking spell hadn't crossed their mind. Despite that being idiotic of them, Cassandra couldn't help but feel relieved. She shook her head, not wishing to give them any ideas. "Never mind. Can I have it back then?"

Emma stared at the chain still dangling from her fist.

"Emma." Hook begged. "This is Neal's life you're gambling with."

"I know!" She snapped at him. Her hand remained still a moment more. Then slowly, Emma retracted her arm, causing Cassandra's lips to sink into a frown.

"I did what you wanted." She persuaded. "We're on the same team."

"I'm sorry." Emma said sadly. "I promise you'll get it back as soon as we've found Neal. We don't know if this is one of Pan's tricks and we need to know you'll give us your help if we need it."

"He is alive. I've seen him." Cassandra admitted. The group looked to her suddenly, their eyes wide.

"What!" Emma yelled. "You knew he wasn't dead?" She was hit by a realisation and her frustration eased. "Actually, it's not that surprising considering how, er- _close_ you are with Pan."

Cassandra considered the woman before her, surprised that there was no edge to her tone. Only awkwardness as she spoke of Cassandra's relationship with Peter.

"Actually, Peter didn't tell me. I found him, or rather he found me. It was before I ran into you. I should have told you but it didn't cross my mind. I forgot you still thought he was dead."

"He's alive then." Snow's face lit up. She reached for Charming's hand and he smiled with her.

"Where is he?" Emma asked earnestly.

"Not a clue."

"Big help you are." Hook quipped resulting in a scowl from Cassandra.

"We'll just have to find him then." Snow said confidently. "We're already on the trail."

David cheered. "What're we waiting for, let's go." They moved onwards and Cassandra fell into stride beside Emma, Hook's eyes on her back.

"Where's Regina?" Cassandra questioned. Surely, she wouldn't have split from the group when in Neverland of all places.

"She thought Pan was playing us. She didn't want to waste time on a wild goose chase searching for Neal." Emma revealed. The reasoning was surprisingly valid. If Cassandra was in Regina's shoes, she would have done the same thing.

"Understandable. Why didn't _you_ take that approach?"

"Mary-Margret seems to have the evidence. I wasn't entirely convinced but I figured that if he was alive, he deserved to be saved."

"I agree." Cassandra nodded thoughtfully. "Just between you and me. I always admired Neal, to an extent." Emma's brows furrowed with intrigue at her daughter's words. "He's experienced betrayal and it has only made him stronger, more rational with his way of thinking."

"You make him sound like a machine. That's not the Neal I know."

"No. He still allows compassion to blind him. Though, his attempts to rid himself of weakness worked for a while at least. He made himself... better."

"Are you saying you're glad he suffered the way he did?" Emma asked bewildered.

"I'm saying his childhood was one I could relate to. We have a mutual understanding of the wounds trust can inflict."

/

 _Turning a corner, she slowed to a stop. She focused on the image that had caught her eye. Painted on the wall was a rainbow, stretching down the street. Directions from her drunk helper echoed in her head and she followed the vibrant colours, her pace now choppier with the excitement._

 _When the trail ended abruptly, Cassandra's steps faltered, and she narrowed her eyes in frustration. Scanning the surrounding buildings for something, anything, she gasped. With a smile, she sped across the dark river (spurring on a chorus of yells from the carriages) and planted her feet in front of the pub. Glistening in white letters were the words_ The Unicorn _. Perhaps drunk guides deserved some credit after all. She spun to the right and marched onwards, hoping she was almost at her destination._

 _Not ten minutes later, she arrived at a bright blue door. She eyed the panel on the wall and pressed the button with the familiar name beside it. A buzz sounded followed by a click. Cautiously, Cassandra pushed against the door and it gave way, allowing her to enter the building._

 _She climbed several staircases, passing many doors and finally reached the desired one. '17a' in golden lettering shone at her like a beacon and she silently cheered that her exhausting trek was at an end. Rapping her knuckles against the door, it cracked open to reveal a stern eyed woman with sleek black hair that fell past her shoulders. Cassandra couldn't help but note how the woman had the smoothest skin she had ever seen. Though, it wasn't that hard to top a bunch of acne covered teenage boys._

 _"Are you Tamara?" The woman nodded and swung the door open, allowing Cassandra to enter. The interior of the apartment was bland, few personal touches had been made. Tamara smiled though Cassandra knew the woman meant business. Their mission was no light-hearted task. Consequences of failing were rather extreme though more so for one than the other. For Tamara, magic would remain, something which she was greatly opposed to for reasons Cassandra could not support. For Cassandra, the only person she had ever loved would die..._

 _She almost laughed at the dramatic difference in their circumstances._

/

"Seriously though Hook, what's with all the leather?" Cassandra skipped beside the man. Hook didn't respond he continued marching, eyes fixed ahead. "Isn't it uncomfortable? Wouldn't you rather wear something looser?" She teased, laughing at the irritated expression on his face. Leaning closer, she lowered her voice. "If you're interested in pursuing Emma then perhaps a tracksuit? They're all the rage back where she's from."

He stopped abruptly. Spinning on his heels, he gripped the front of Cassandra's shirt. "Shut it! Don't doubt me when I say I will not hesitate to kill you." He growled.

"That warning seems like a hesitation in itself." Cassandra smirked. "This is also the third time you've threatened me in the past half hour. Forgive me if I'm not _trembling with fear_."

With a grunt, Hook released her and plodded on. The blonde grinned, pleased she could still irk him like old times.

"I wish you would stop that." Emma sighed. "You're not making things any easier for yourself."

"He loves it really." Hook turned and she met his glare with a wink.

"Somehow I doubt that." Emma replied tiredly.

Glancing to the front of the group, Cassandra saw that Snow and Charming hadn't even batted an eye at the exchange between her and Hook. They were evidently fed up with their antics. This notion made Cassandra incredibly happy.

Finally, they reached the end of the trail they had been following. Cassandra stopped dead, frozen to the spot. Her eyes darted to Hook. His face laced with dread.

Before them, stood echo cave. To any stranger, it did not appear menacing nor did it strike fear within. To those who knew of it, it was a place to be avoided at all costs.

"The tracks lead directly into that cave. This must be where they're keeping Neal." Snow's voice wrapped around the words, coating them in hope. It was clear she was unaware of what the cave had in store for them.

"If the cave is some sort of prison, why aren't there any guards posted to stop us?" Despite its validity, Cassandra couldn't help but roll her eyes at Charming's question.

"Because the prison doesn't require guards." Hook informed, his tone grave.

"Echo cave." Cassandra whispered, her limbs still locked.

"I lost half my crew inside those rock walls." The pirate divulged, meeting Cassandra's eyes. Within them she could see that he held her responsible for those deaths. After all, she did help lure them there in the first place. "The only way to rescue someone from inside is to reveal a secret."

"A secret?" Snow asked, puzzled. "That's all?" Oh Snow, if only it were that simple.

"Your darkest secret. Echo cave derives its name from an old saying, the deeper the lie-"

"The more truth in its echo." Cassandra finished, her eyes glued to the cave entrance. Would they make her go in? She couldn't bring herself to. Once they heard her darkest secret she doubted they would let her wander back to Peter's side. But that wasn't the problem. She was far more concerned that after disclosing her secret, that Peter wouldn't _want_ her by his side.

The thought terrified her more than the cave itself.

Nodding at her, Hook elaborated to the others. "The cave demands that you reveal a truth about yourself. A secret you would never admit to anyone."

"This is ridiculous." At Emma's complaint, Cassandra scoffed.

"You should know Peter loves his games." She smiled wryly.

"This isn't a game." The woman snapped. "Even if we still spill our guts, how do we know Neal's still alive in there?"

"Because this is what Pan wants." Hook explained, reluctantly accepting their fate.

"Why?"

"So that we reveal our secrets." The pirate declared. "He believes once we do, our secrets will destroy us."

The group relapsed into tense silence. Fight or flight. There was no fight, no reward by staying there. Not for Cassandra. Bracing herself, she decided to get the heck out of there.

"Well, it's been great seeing you all." Jolting to Emma, she snatched the locket from her neck causing the chain to snap. "Don't want Peter to get suspicious of my long absence." With a spritely wave, she stuffed the locket into her pocket and made a break for it. Or rather, she tried to.

With a thud, she collapsed to the ground. A heavy form having leaped on top of her.

"Get the hell off me!" She snarled, wriggling desperately to free herself. Her lungs were being crushed by the extraordinary weight. Blotches began to bloom in her vision when the extreme pressure on her fragile organs suddenly lifted. She hacked and heaved as oxygen filled her starved lungs. Before she had a chance to recover, she was jerked to her feet and her arms were wrenched behind her back. She groaned as rope bound her wrists together.

"Oh don't leave so soon, Andie." Hook smirked against her ear. "We'd love for you to tag along."

"I couldn't possibly." She laughed gingerly, hands squirming to try and free themselves.

"I insist." Hook dragged her to the cave entrance. "You said you were on our side, didn't you?"

She was relieved that Hook had not taken the locket from her again. Its familiar weight was the only comfort in that moment. Calming her mind, lucid thoughts flowing. She took a deep breath. Hook's calloused hand on her back, she was forced across the threshold of the cave.

Shoving her through the opening, Hook kept Cassandra upright as she stumbled over the rocky ground. The others were peering at her curiously, wondering what she was playing at. Cassandra's bold move had set off their suspicions, but she couldn't bring herself to care. They'd find out soon enough. Echo cave had the ability to bring out the worst in people. However, there was more to it than that. The group had seen Cassandra at her worst, she nearly killed Emma; would have happily killed her. Their opinion of her could hardly worsen.

The cave possessed a power that concerned Cassandra far more.

It had the power to expose weakness.

/

 _An unexpected noise emerged from the room to her left. Upon instinct, she turned on one foot, raising the other leg. She kicked out and her shoe collided with the chest of a sturdy man sporting the expression of great shock. He fell backwards with the force._

 _"Greg!" Tamara shrieked, rushing to the man's side. Greg? Cassandra stared at the peculiar man trying to place recognition at the name. She snapped her fingers. Greg was the man she had been told was working with Tamara. Though, going by the way she was fussing over him, Cassandra guessed their relationship was a little more... intimate than just co-workers._

 _"My bad." She said half-heartedly as she watched the man milk out his suffering to gain more attention from Tamara. Or at least, she hoped that was the reason and that he wasn't actually that feeble. "Want me to get something for that? Some ice? Pair of balls perhaps?"_

 _Greg sat up and at the icy glare he gave her, Cassandra could tell they were going to be the best of friends._

 _"The name's Cassandra. Pleasure to meet you." She bowed dramatically before spinning on her heels and flipping onto the sofa. A groan burst from her lips. "I've sat on logs more comfortable than this."_

 _Cassandra soon realised that if she was going to be staying with these people, she would have to play nice. If she wanted to gain their trust she had to get them to like her. Which meant no more attacking Greg. The notion brought a frown to her lips._

 _Over the next few days, finishing touches were added to the plan. Refining every last detail. When everything was complete, Tamara and Cassandra decided they would set it in action the following day. Because of this, Greg had to leave. During their soppy goodbyes, Cassandra had to hold herself back from whacking the pair of them. Kissing without a breath longer than humanely possible. Shoving their tongues down the other's throat. The horrific sight made Cassandra gag and she had to move into the other room._

 _After a lifetime of waiting, Greg left the apartment and Tamara shuffled into the living room. Heartache was evident in the stiffness of her features, but at least she was trying to focus on the more important matter at hand. As she sat next to Cassandra, the girl could practically see the metal bars Tamara was putting in place. Creating a cage in which her heart was encased._

 _Cassandra was well acquainted with this method. She had a cage of her own. Formed when she was young, tearful and alone. Her heart was locked away, icing the emotions that gnawed at her. Dimming the pain. A cage like that could only be opened by one person. The single being who possessed the key to her heart..._

/

Frigid air creeped across Cassandra's bare arms. She wished her wrists weren't bound so that she could rub at the cold limbs. She gaped at the colossal stone cavern, just as impressive as the first time she saw it. Jagged walls blocked the light breeze from outside, leaving the air stagnant and hollow. A few metres ahead was a sheer drop. Beyond it, a looming darkness that glowered at her. Gnarling its teeth, ready to devour anyone that fell into its depths.

Stranded in the centre of the cave was a rock pillar. Perched on top of it was a cage, inside of which sat an ominous silhouette. Squinting, Cassandra identified the hunched form. The figure lifted its head and Neal's face entered the light. Recognition crossed his features and he clutched the bars.

"Emma!" His yell echoed across the void.

"Neal." Emma's whisper was carried easily through the still air.

"It must be a hundred feet across." Snow fretted, eyeing the daunting chasm before them.

"Even if we fashioned some sort of rope, there's nothing we can attach it to." David thought aloud, his eyes scanning for an alternative. "No way to swing over." Looking at him in disdain, Cassandra discreetly manoeuvred her hands and finally the rope slackened.

"So, what do we do?" Emma queried.

"I told you what needs to be done." Cassandra couldn't help but note how dreary Hook sounded. As if he was being told to jump over the rock edge, plummeting into the abyss. "Consider this the moment of truth, literally. Now... who wants to kick things off."

"I nominate Hook." Every cloud had a silver lining and Cassandra found herself looking forward to Hook's confession. The man scowled at her contribution.

"So, what? Someone tells their secret and they sprout wings?"

"That's not very creative Emma." Cassandra muttered.

"I don't know the particulars, only what I've been told." Hook replied, ignoring the Lost Boy's input.

Cassandra frowned at having been blanked. "If nobody's going to listen to me, there's no point in me even gracing you with my presence. Just let me go and I'll catch up with you later."

"Well, how do you know it'll work?" Emma directed at Hook.

Groaning, Cassandra fell to the floor in a heap. "I hate the lot of you. Hey! I saw that smile Charming, don't you laugh at me."

"There's only one way to find out I suppose." Hook took a deep breath and Cassandra straightened her slouched posture, ears attentive. It took a lot of restraint to resist slamming her feet against the ground in a drum roll.

"I kissed Emma." He blurted.

"You did what!" David exclaimed at the same time Cassandra jeered, "Ooo scandal."

"David, now is _not_ the time." Cassandra cracked a smile at the woman scolding her husband.

"I already told Mary Margaret, so technically it's not a secret."

"I also knew." Cassandra raised her hand. "I overheard them talking about it earlier. Whoever thought Captain Hook would be the object of gossip."

Emma continued speaking to Hook. "But it was- _when_ did you free yourself?" Emma asked bewildered, gaping at Cassandra's free wrist.

"A couple minutes ago." The girl shrugged, dusting herself off as she clambered to her feet. "Don't sound so surprised, I used to do this for a living... kinda. I did it if I didn't want to get captured by pirates, which to be frank, never sounded very appealing. No offense Hook."

"Right." Emma said slowly. "Yeah. Forgot about that whole 'Lost Boy' thing for a second."

"What can I say, it's a lifestyle. Don't mind me. Resume your intimate declarations of the heart." Cassandra encouraged, stretching out her sore arms.

"Er," Emma's brows furrowed as she tried to recall what she had been saying. Her mind resuming her train of thought, she looked to Hook. "How is that your darkest secret? It was just a kiss." She implored.

"It's what the kiss exposed." Cassandra was amazed that Hook was not watching her with suspicion now that she could walk straight from the cave. His gaze was fixed solely on Emma. Peeking at him, Cassandra was taken aback as she recognised the look swimming in his eyes. Pure and True. Love. "My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love... of my Milah... to believe that I could find someone else that is, until I met you."

The group jolted as the ground beneath them shook. By the pillar, a shelf of rock rose from the darkness, creating a platform that narrowed the gap between them and Neal.

"This is surprisingly fun." Clapping her hands, Cassandra beamed. "Who's next? Charming you look full of guilt, why don't you have a go?" At her request, Charming's gaze shifted to the floor anxiously.

"Hang on just a moment." Hook's voice interrupted. "I'm sure we'd all much prefer yourself to... keep things rolling." He looked at her with a dark glint in his eyes.

"Thanks for the offer. But I'll pass." She waved him off, a false smile on her face. Inching backwards towards the exit, Cassandra jumped with a start as she backed into Emma.

"You said you were with us." She stated firmly.

"And I am!" Cassandra insisted, raising her palms. The lie flowed through her lips with ease. "I just don't fancy spilling my guts to people I've only just learnt to tolerate."

"Before," Emma began. "I asked why we should trust you. You said because you were willing to trust us. So, trust us. _Help_ us, Cassandra. Please." The resolute look in the woman's eyes struck a chord in Cassandra. Part of her wanted to help, but deep down she knew she couldn't. Assisting the rescue of Neal, it would go against Peter's plan-

Her thoughts screeched to a halt.

Would it go against his plan? Yes, Neal being freed would increase their chances of saving Henry. However, Peter wouldn't have had Neal moved to the Echo Cave if he didn't want them to free him. It was as Hook said. Peter _wanted_ them to rescue Neal, because in the process, they would reveal secrets that would tear their group apart. If Cassandra wished to save Peter's life, she needed to play the game.

Taking a shaky breath, she nodded. Even if he didn't want to see her afterwards. She would do it. "O-okay." For Peter.

/

 _"Why are you doing this?" Tamara asked curiously as she tried to numb her anguish. The woman's voice cracked as she spoke, vulnerability on display._

 _"Magic tore me from my family." Cassandra growled. Tamara knew the tone was not aimed at her. She had noticed the distant look in her eyes as she spoke._

 _"I'm sorry." The woman nodded sympathetically. She already knew of this but was hoping for an elaboration. Clearly, she wasn't going to receive one. "I promise, we'll get through this. Magic_ will _be destroyed. It shouldn't be hard to become a part of your father's life-"_

 _"Don't call him that." The blonde cut her off. "He's called Neal. Can't have any slip ups when he's around. Neal, only."_

 _Wide eyes blinked quickly, realising the girl was correct. "Of course. Sorry. As I was saying, it shouldn't be more than a couple months till we find this_ Storybrooke _the Home Office told us about. Then magic will never bother any of us again. And I can see Greg..."_

 _Whilst many may have felt pity for the woman. Cassandra did not. She felt nothing, only bitter amusement._ Tamara, Tamara, Tamara _. Her mind chided. How naive. How gullible. She should have known better than that. Then again, she was idiotic enough to believe she could destroy magic._

 _A smile plastered on the blonde's face, she reached out and hugged the sorrowful woman. Out of Tamara's sight, Cassandra's features twisted into a cruel smirk. She would learn the price of trust soon enough._

/

Reassured, Emma smiled. Cassandra shuddered as she looked to Snow and Charming. Their eyes laced with sickly pride. Hook's grin, seeming sadistic in nature, was the only thing that made her relax. It was familiar, reminding her of old times when things were more black and white. No baffling blur of morals.

"I've grown up alone, without a family, no place to belong." She started, her voice wavering. "Then one day I'm thrust into a world where I _do_ belong. Peter saved me. Since arriving at Neverland, I've owed him for my happiness, for my sanity. And now, I discover he was the cause of my unhappiness all along. He sent me there. He lied to me. Still, despite all that's he's done, I would kill each of you without hesitation if it meant that he could live." She didn't have the energy to react to the wariness on their faces.

"But the thing is... I'm scared. I'm terrified of how far I'm willing to go for him. That our lives will forever be a vicious cycle of game after game, scheme after scheme. All I'm doing is digging, digging deeper and deeper. Trapping myself in walls of hate and revenge. On this island, things don't change. Things _will never_ change. I don't want that. Change has kept me alive all these years. I want change." She inhaled sharply. "I want to grow up."

The ground rumbled. Another stone platform grew from the empty blackness. Not baring to glance at their reactions, Cassandra did what she had always done.

She ran.

Towards the boy she had always been running to.


	9. Chapter 7

**A/N: Figured I'd give the Lost Boys some more show time**

Someone was leaving Neverland. He could sense it. The air buzzed and hummed as it relayed this information to him. Pan glanced upwards and sighed as he discovered this. Alterations to the plan already flying into place within his head. His hands stilled as his vision was clouded by a map of the actions he should take.

"What is it?" Felix queried in concern.

"Someone's leaving Neverland." He breathed, turning to the boy beside him.

"Where?" The pair put down the sticks they had been sharpening. "How shall we stop them?"

"It's too late." A hint of a smile formed on Pan's lips. He noticed how Felix's brows furrowed in confusion. "Don't worry Felix. We simply need to get word to our friends on the ground."

"In Storybrooke?" Felix asked, dumbfounded.

"They can handle this. All it does is move up our timetable a touch. We need to get Henry ready." He stood, deep in thought. From behind him came the rustle of leaves accompanied by the patter of footsteps. He turned just as a slender figure crashed into him, hiding her face against his neck.

"Andie?" At the sound of her name the girl raised her head. Whirling within her dark eyes, amongst the multitude of browns, was an intense guilt. It shone at Pan, begging for forgiveness. Anger flared internally, scolding himself as his heart twanged with empathy for the blonde. Try as he might, he could not sever the bond that tied them. He knew what she had said at Echo Cave. Cassandra was aware of this fact. But there were things she didn't know. Things that Pan had only disclosed to Felix … and he was in no rush to inform her of them.

"I got the locket." She rummaged in her pocket before producing the simple jewellery.

She knew him far too well; knew he wasn't one for declarations of sentiment, particularly in front of the Lost Boys. So, she found another way for him to express his feelings to her.

Her smile wobbled as she watched him, fearful of his response. He grinned victoriously and took the necklace from her. The item encased in his grip, he allowed the magic to flow through his fist. Uncurling his fingers, he revealed the locket, its chain no longer broken. His heart thumped at the beam on her face.

"Thank you." She said as he fastened it around her neck. She admired the pendant, twirling it between her fingers with a fond smile on her face. She looked up and her eyes glistened with relief. Tilting her head up, she gently captured his lips with hers. The euphoria that erupted in Pan's chest was almost painful. He didn't want to deceive her, it filled him with vile sensations that clogged his veins. Regardless, he had to pretend that everything was fine. He had to hide the heartache and play the game.

A moment later, Cassandra pulled back and gazed at him. The boy with the jungle in his eyes. Peter wasn't in Neverland. Neverland was in him. She knew this. Which was why weights she didn't know existed, lifted from her chest at his understanding. She could see the anguish buried in the looks he gave her. She would be more concerned if there wasn't. However, all that mattered was that he was prepared to forgive her. Truly and completely. Just as she forgave him for the wrongdoings he didn't know she'd discovered.

"I need to have a chat with our friend in the cage." A sly grin graced the boy's lips. "Care to join?"

At the mention of the Darling girl, Cassandra grimaced. "As much as I hate to deny her the pleasure of my company, I'm afraid I really couldn't think of anything worse."

"I'll send her your regards." An absentminded smile on his face, he reached towards her face. His hands like whispers on her skin as he tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear. As if awakening from a daze, he blinked suddenly. His playful expression dropped for a split second before slipping into place again. With one last look at her, he marched to the cage.

Spotting Felix who had slunk to another part of camp, Cassandra paced towards him.

"Don't you think that's sharp enough?" She said as she sat beside him, nodding to the stick he was sharpening with his blade.

"It's never sharp enough. You know that." The boy droned, though his expression lightened marginally at her voice.

"Touché. What's been going on?"

"Incidents revolving around whom would you like to know about?" Felix did not glance away from his hands that kept at work.

"Certainly not anyone from Storybrooke. I swear I could strangle those Charmings." She uttered. "No, I want to hear about you lot. About the camp."

"Everyone seems to have gotten over the excitement of our new member. Well, not everyone. Some are still a little... envious, shall we say?"

"Let me guess, Devin?" At the quirk of the boy's lips, Cassandra smiled. "Knew it. Self-absorbed git." Their conversation continued to flow and Cassandra revelled in the ease of it. Although Felix was a boy of few words, she didn't mind. For what he did say was more significant, worthier of listening to, than any other old drivel from those who could not keep their mouths shut. There came a point when they settled into a calm silence. Consequently, the worries she had locked away had an opening and lapped at her mind like a tide rolling onto the shore.

"Do you think he'll forgive me?" The question hung heavily in the air.

"For what?" The ignorance in his question was blatantly false. She scoffed.

"Don't play dumb. At Echo Cave. Peter was listening. He heard my secret. Just now, he tried to act as if it was okay. But I could tell, he feels a rift."

"I don't know what your secret is. Pan didn't say." He was quiet for a moment and Cassandra began to think he was finished. As she opened her mouth, he resumed talking as if there had been no pause. "Let me ask you, is your secret something you chose to happen? Something you could have prevented?"

Pondering this for a moment, Cassandra shook her head. Her darkest secret was entwined with her heart. Emotions. She could not change how she felt, despite how much she wished she could.

"Then what you confessed, was not an act or event. It was a trait of yourself. If Pan divulged with you a confession of his own, something embedded within his entire nature... how accepting would you be?" Although his question was rhetorical, Cassandra couldn't help but feel that he wanted an answer. The curious glint in his eye suggested the question was deeper than it appeared.

She did not respond however, and Felix turned back to the work in his hands. Their conversation was over. Both enveloped in thoughts of their own. Felix's question rang in her ears.

If the tables were turned, how _would_ she react? Not much was required to figure out an answer. This had already occurred but rather than Peter directly confessing, she worked it out for herself. Nonetheless, she knew her answer. In spite of the pain it caused, she had forgiven him. Feeling fury towards him and blocking him out, seeking revenge and telling him lies- it caused more anguish than he had bestowed upon her. She could only hope his perception would be similar.

/

 _It had been easier to adjust to the bustling streets than Cassandra presumed. It was just like the old days. Weaving through webs of traps in the woods. If traps moved of course. And if you walked into one, triggering it off, all you had to do was curse or shove back. Still, it took skill to swim against the flow of people, to reach the door to the cafe she was now settled in._

 _Perched in the armchair by the window, Cassandra's eyes were alert as they scanned the view across the road. She could just make out the figure of the man who now went by the name August. The once-wooden man, was lazing against his bike, glossy hair being the only thing Cassandra could see from this angle. He was speaking to a man with a serious look on his face, standing at the kerb._

 _Her father._

 _Her entire life had been spent carrying anger towards her parents. Her mother abandoning her may have been spurred on by Neal leaving her. Or maybe, she would have done so regardless, causing Neal to be the one who left his unborn children to deal with the cruel, apathetic tendencies of his psychotic girlfriend._

 _Either way, Cassandra expected to feel something when she laid her eyes on her father for the first time. Some connection caused by the blood they shared. There was nothing. The man before her was nothing more than that, a man. Her brain could not make the link between this mundane city dweller, and the mental image of him her mind had morphed over her lifetime. She didn't know what she had been expecting. Some sort of demon? Perhaps a sinister man, an apparent untrustworthy demeanour with an animalistic twisting of the lips as he jeered at those beneath him. Deep lines of guilt or grief etched into his face as time punished him for his wrongdoings._

 _But there was nothing of the sort. Neal stood there, hands stuffed into his pockets, looking completely ordinary. If she hadn't been directly told this was him, she never would have realised he was her father._

 _Orange blaring in her peripheral vision, Cassandra's eyes were dragged down the street. She cringed at the bright coat Tamara was sporting as she looked into her compact. The sickly colour made her want to gouge her eyes out. She had tried to warn the woman, that the hideous item would likely result in Neal fleeing before his vision could be damaged any further._

 _Obviously, Tamara paid no attention. Apparently, it was Greg's favourite colour._

/

"Don't you look cheery?" She was startled from her daze by the voice of a chirpy redhead.

"Darrel." She smiled though it did not meet her eyes. "Lose to William again?" She eyed the slash on his upper arm.

"Not my fault he cheats." He mumbled, cheeks turning pink.

"I'm impressed he's capable of cheating in a game with no rules." She teased. "Are you here to ask me if I'll defend your honour?"

"If you would be so kind." He bowed dramatically, a confident grin having returned to his face.

"Certainly, my good chap." She sprung to her feet and the pair of them strolled to the group prodding each other with pointed sticks. William was wearing his usual frenzied grin, full of arrogance. His dark blond hair was matted to his scalp with sweat, and grime coated his skin.

"William." She spoke and the jeering boys stilled. William's expression dropped as he saw her. Reluctantly, he handed her one of the makeshift swords and got himself into a starting stance. The others shuffled backwards, clearing a space for the two of them. Cassandra sneered, a violent glint in her eyes.

Despite William being nearly half a foot shorter than her, he was one of Peter's best fighters. In fact, his small size was not a hindrance, but rather something he used to his advantage. Favouring agility over strength as Cassandra often did. However, throughout her life Cassandra had accumulated skills other than speed. Strength included. Although her physical force was no match for individuals such as Peter and Felix, it greatly surpassed that of William's own.

She dove forward and the boy leapt back, blocking her jab with the edge of his sword. He swung his own and Cassandra slid back, its sharp point barely missing her navel. Wooden blades sliced through the air, pricking skin and drawing beads of blood. Growing tired of the repetitive swiping back and forth she decided to draw the duel to a close. Her arm darted to William's left side before instantaneously pulling back. In the second it took for him to realise her arm was heading elsewhere, the blunt edge of Cassandra's weapon collided with his fist. The force knocked his sword from his grip up into the air. Her leg swerved out, knocking his feet from under him. She reached out and caught his sword before it hit the ground. It fell into her grasp with a satisfying clunk as the same time William's back thumped to the soil.

"Better luck next time." She threw the two swords to the side and turned to Darrel. She was surprised to see Peter standing by him.

"That took you longer than expected. You're slipping Andie." Peter smirked and strolled past the huddle. Cassandra turned, watching him and discovered he was heading towards Henry who was isolated on the edge of the camp. She was surprised that she hadn't noticed him. But alas, her brother had slipped her mind yet again.

Observing from afar, she could not hear their mumbled conversation and so she settled for reading their movements, their body language. Henry did not respond to Peter's arrival and so Peter crouched behind him. Cassandra presumed Peter was using his gift of persuasion to worm his way through the boy's resistance.

Finally, Henry twisted around so he could see Peter's expression. Thinking he would be able to detect any lies as if they were painted plainly on Peter's face. Cassandra could see the conflict on Henry's face. The mistrust won. Exasperation and suspicion coated his features and like a dart, Henry shot to his feet and marched off, into the bushes.

Peter stood up and it was at this point that Felix skulked over to him. Their backs to her, Cassandra could not decipher anything at all from their conversation yet her gaze remained resolute.

"You don't have to spend every waking hour ogling over him y'know." Cassandra's trance was smashed by the voice beside her. Glancing to her right she saw the familiar mop of dark hair belonging to a certain cynic.

"Devin." She sighed. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You know I don't care for that conversational waffle so I'm just going to cut to the chase." At his words, Cassandra rolled her eyes dreading a conversation she didn't have the energy to deal with. "What's wrong?" Devin asked causing her to look to him with a start.

That was unexpected. Devin didn't care much for emotional support, for anyone, let alone her.

"Shut up, don't get all mushy on me." Devin grimaced as he saw she was still gaping at him. "And don't deny that something's wrong either."

"Why do you think something's the matter?" She asked casually, feigning naivety to what he was referring to.

"How many rocks have you thrown at me since you got back?" She looked to him perplexed. "Not one." He answered his own question.

"That proves nothing." She scoffed.

"Doesn't it? Normally you'll pelt at least two rocks at me per day. The...quality of your aim and power of the throw depends on your mood." He noted. "Now, you've been here about five days yet not a single rock has been thrown my way. Why do you suppose that is?"

"You think you can analyse my mood based on how many rocks I throw?" She watched him blankly.

"There you go. Knew you'd understand if I explained it slowly enough."

"You're unbelievable." Though slightly amused by his peculiar point of reference, she took this as an opportunity to escape the interrogation. She began to walk away before Devin clutched at her arm.

"Andie." He said, all teasing gone from his tone. Searching his eyes Cassandra could not fathom a reason for his sincerity.

"Why do you care?" Her voice was no longer harsh. It was smooth, her question rolling over her tongue with genuine curiosity.

"It's not just him you know." It was as if he were pleading with her to understand. To open up. "You have the rest of us too. You always will."

Pressing her lips into a thin line, Cassandra shook him off and stormed away. However, her strides were not full of wrath. Only frustration spurred on each step. Devin's surprisingly profound words had baffled her. She could not comprehend his intent; why he would be so concerned about her and what he was trying to achieve. Flopping to the ground, she rested against a tree trunk and shut her eyes, trying to block out her agitation. Her body slumped, suddenly drained by all the recent happenings. Surrendering to the fatigue, she floated into a light sleep, Devin's words still bouncing in her ears.

/

 _Taking a sip from the hot cup in her hands, the rich coffee flowed across her tongue._

 _The first time she had tried the steaming beverage, Cassandra had gulped it down, immediately scalding her mouth. Tamara had had to explain that coffee was meant to be drank slowly. The notion of savouring flavours- it baffled Cassandra. She was used to devouring whatever food she was given. And as for drinks, what was luxurious about them? They were a necessity. Pushing aside her habits, Cassandra forced herself to do as Tamara said. Now, a week later, she found herself addicted to the thing, wondering how she ever survived without it._

 _She pondered what_ he _was doing at that moment. What all the Lost Boys were doing. Had they thought of her as much as she had of them? She knew they would never admit to it, but she liked to think they all had a soft, sentimental side. Even Devin._

 _Their sarcasm was ever-present. She could hear their comments on everything she did. Whether it be how ridiculous she looked- absent of mud and wearing bizarre clothing to fit in with the people of this strange land- or their incredulity at how practically everything was done for her. Cooking food in small machines called microwaves within the space of a few minutes, and delicious hot beverages handed to her for a few measly coins._

 _The gentle buzz of the caffeine was starting to make its way through her veins, allowing her to drag herself from her day dreams and pay more attention to the scene before her._

 _Finally, the men's conversation wrapped up and August jolted down the road on his motorbike. Neal didn't move, listening to the noise of the bike until it became masked by the blaring honks of the other traffic. Subconsciously sitting up straighter in her seat, Cassandra watched keenly as Tamara finished 'checking her makeup' and prepared to make her move. Lidless coffee-filled cup in hand, the woman stalked down the street._

 _Tamara's timing was impeccable. Her steps sharp and hasty, like the rest of the crowds, reaching Neal at the exact moment he spun around. Coffee sloshed out of the cup, spilling all over Tamara and her clothing._

 _Tragic._

 _The shock on Neal's face was brilliant. The plan had worked. Downing the remaining drips in her cup, Cassandra grabbed her jacket and made her way out of the warm café. The cool air hit her skin and she spotted Neal adjusting his mud-green scarf around Tamara's neck. Maybe he was trying to improve the ensemble... or having some fun and make it look even worse._

 _Hopefully the latter._

 _A smile on her face, Cassandra disappeared in the gushing river of people, its flow headed towards the apartment._

/

Cassandra was awoken by a kiss on her forehead, like a secret on her skin. She felt a hand under her legs and another at her back. The ground disappeared from beneath her and her eyes fluttered open. Cradled against Peter's chest, she was being carried through the trees on the outskirts of the camp.

"How long was I asleep?" She croaked, rubbing her eyes.

"Not too long, maybe an hour." A small smile peeked out from his lips as he glanced down at her.

"An hour!" She exclaimed, jolting awake. "That's ages, a lot could have happened in an hour Peter. What have I missed, whe-"

"Cassie." The way he spoke her name was like a drug, washing over her and easing her body. "You haven't missed a thing. If you're tired just say so, you don't need to push yourself so hard all the time." He frowned with concern.

"I'll have plenty time for sleep when this is over." She reasoned but Peter simply shook his head.

"This will never be over if you're staggering about half asleep. I need you rested and alert."

"Peter can you put me down? We need to talk."

"Didn't peg you as one to use such a cliché breakup line." He smirked and Cassandra hit his chest half-heartedly.

"Peter." She whined. "Let me down."

"Fine." He gave in and placed her feet gently on the ground.

"About Echo Cave," She began and her heart twanged painfully as Peter sobered instantly. All playfulness had vanished from his demeanour. "I really am sorry." Her hand reached out to his face, resting on his cheek. He stared at her blankly, building internal walls. "I don't want you thinking I don't love it here, that I don't love you. Because I do. And if I was given the choice to remain in Neverland with you for all eternity or leave. I would choose you in a heartbeat."

"I know you would."

Only Peter could hear the false note in his tone.

"Felix and Henry are off elsewhere. We have a delivery to make. Wait here." With a mischievous wink, Peter strode ahead and slipped through a dense section of shrubbery.

Intrigued, Cassandra waited idly. Subconsciously fiddling with the locket before hiding it beneath her shirt. At the rustling, she looked up to see Peter accompanied by another.

She inspected the small figure. The girl's dishevelled hair was a mess around her dainty face. The once white nightgown was now murky grey, the bottom hem caked with dirt. As Cassandra locked gazes with Wendy, the girl cowered behind Peter.

"Wendy my Darling! It's been an age, how's the cage been treating you?" Cassandra beamed, a crazed glint in her eyes. The fragile girl was like a deer with eyes screaming in fright as the Lost Boy bounded towards her.

"S-stop it." Wendy stuttered much to Cassandra's delight.

"What?" Cassandra bowed slightly so her face was closer to Wendy's. "Didn't you miss me?" She batted her eyelashes and tilted her head innocently.

The girl looked upwards hopefully to Peter, who she was still using as a human shield.

"Andie, stop teasing her. I promised I wouldn't let you go scaring her again." The boy smirked, entertained by the exchange in front of him.

Cassandra blinked, breaking her unwavering stare. "Well darn." She pouted and pulled back. "That's no fun."

"Don't say that Andie, this is where the game gets interesting." The cunning look in Peter's eyes put an excited glint in Cassandra's own. "Come along Wendy, no time to lose." With that, the trio began their trek through the jungle.

Wendy was incredibly jittery, always keeping the taller blonde in her peripheral vision. She was terrified of both the people beside her; Pan's cunning calmness and Cassandra's energetic taunts and jeers. At least she was certain Pan wouldn't harm her, he needed her. Cassandra on the other hand, Wendy never knew quite where she stood. How strictly she would follow Peter's orders. Sometimes she thought the Lost Boy enjoyed the game more than Pan himself.

/

 _It wasn't till a month after the coffee spillage fiasco, that Cassandra officially met her father._

 _She was huddled on the sofa, blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She couldn't work out for the life of her how to turn the heating on, and she had been forbidden from starting fires after her attempt the day she arrived, so there she sat waiting for Tamara to return home. Twiddling her locket between her fingers, she heard the door click open followed by the shuffle of feet._

 _"Bit cold in here." A low voice commented._

 _"Must have left the heater off. One minute." Tamara sighed, her heels clacking on the wooden floor. Heavy footsteps made their way slowly through the apartment. Cassandra glanced up to the figure emerging through the doorway. Neal froze when he spotted her._

 _"Err, hi." He said awkwardly, obviously not expecting to see someone else there._

 _"Hello." Cassandra replied quietly._

 _"Tamara?" He raised his voice. A muffled response could be heard from the other room. "You know there's someone else here, right?"_

 _"What?" Tamara's voice was clearer now as she rushed to Neal. Peering over Neal's shoulder, the woman's head popped into the room. She looked at Cassandra, and shot her a wink._

 _"Cassandra! I didn't realise you'd be home." She panicked. "I thought you were at Megan's today."_

 _"Nah, she cancelled." Cassandra lied swiftly, not missing a beat. "Some family hoo-ha."_

 _"Oh okay." She nodded uncomfortably. "So- Cassandra this is Neal, the man I've been telling you about. Neal, this is Cassandra... my daughter."_

 _Neal's eyes widened, though it was brief. Next thing Cassandra knew was that he was striding towards her. He held out his hand, smiling broadly. She placed hers in his sturdy grasp and the pair shook hands._

 _"Nice to meet you."_

 _"You too." Cassandra smiled innocently._

 _"Right, we'll just be through here if you need anything." Tamara stated, subtly ushering Neal to follow her. Mumbling some sort of acknowledgement, Cassandra flicked on the TV as the two retreated to the kitchen._

 _She adjusted the volume so she could still make out the hushed tones of their discussion. Though, the odd words were far too quiet for her to distinguish._

 _"You didn't tell me- daughter."_

 _"I know- sorry- I should've- didn't want-"_

 _"It's okay- I get it- I just wish-"_

 _So, he had fallen for it. Tamara and Neal had been seeing each other for a month. It had been Cassandra's idea to wait till now to introduce him to her. That way he would be invested enough not to scarper at the idea of there being a child involved. The whole purpose of her playing Tamara's daughter. Multiple reasons: the long term staying-with-Tamara situation; when they found Henry, having a younger person there would help get his guard down; and the fact that Neal would be more inclined to stay with Tamara in the long run (an objective necessary for this to work at all)._

 _Satisfied with the way the conversation was going, she gave up on eavesdropping and cranked the volume back up. What was on the television made no difference to her, she found herself zoning out rather quickly._

 _It was peculiar to think everyone back home, all the Lost Boys, knew Neal. Not just knew_ of _him, actually_ knew _him. What did they talk about? What inside jokes did they have? Was his childhood self a better person than the man he grew up to be?_

 _He had stayed in Neverland as Baelfire, a young boy abandoned by his father. He knew what it was like, to be abandoned by a parent, yet he did the same to his unborn children. He was the reason Wendy had returned to the island and was now locked in a cage. The girl now trapped as a hostage, because of him. He had ruined her life. He had ruined the lives of Wendy's brothers that she cried for in the night and who probably did the same for her._

 _And he had ruined Cassandra's own._

/

Tucked between two large tree roots, Cassandra waited impatiently for Henry to emerge from the cave. She had been asked to keep watch while Wendy played her part. There was no need for a lookout- Peter would sense anyone who came near- but the small room had only enough space to hide one. Adamant she wouldn't leave, Cassandra opted to play lookout anyway.

Unfortunately, she'd forgotten how dull the game was.

Her foot, bouncing against the soft dirt, came to an abrupt halt. She huffed. Reaching her arms up, she pushed against the bark and hopped to her feet. The dewy air had beaded on her brow and she wiped at it before stalking towards the entrance. Carefully, she climbed up the sturdy ladder. With each step, the murmur of voices became more audible.

"You look like him." Wendy's tone was gentle and kind. Caressing the words fondly as a mother would.

"Like who?" Henry queried as Cassandra reached the top of the wooden lugs. She peered around the dimly lit room. There was a foldable screen in the far corner, behind which she assumed Peter was hiding. Henry was standing at the base of a large bed talking to Wendy, her mussed hair sprawled across the pillows.

"Your father." Unable to resist, Cassandra climbed further and planted her feet on the floorboards, careful to not make a sound. Stretching to her full height, she found herself enveloped in the stale air of the cave.

"You knew my father?" Although Henry's back was to her, it was evident he was rather relaxed from the sloping of his shoulders. Completely unaware he was falling for another of Peter's tricks.

"We were friends. A long time ago, when he was just a little bit older than you." Wendy paused and at that moment her posture tensed as her gaze flickered over Henry's shoulders. Catching Cassandra watching her, the small girl swallowed as nerves began to buzz in her stomach. "He saved my brothers from danger." She added quickly, searching for approval in the Lost Boy's features. Cassandra's lips remained pressed into a thin line. Wendy stared down at her hands, knotting her fingers together. "He would do anything for my family." As soon as she had delivered her line she coughed, spluttering into her hand.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Wendy's heart ached at the concern in Henry's voice but she couldn't help but peer behind him once more. The gleaming grin on Cassandra's face, caused Wendy's eyes to widen and she shrunk back into the pillow.

"You should go." She snapped at Henry who had not noticed the reason for Wendy's sudden unease.

"M... maybe there's something I could do to help."

"Just please, I don't want you to catch what I have. Pan is already-" Figuring there was not much more of their conversation remaining, Cassandra hurriedly crouched to the floor and crept down the ladder, sliding into the shadows. Feet firmly on the ground, she spun on her heels and raced into the jungle back towards camp.

After running about a quarter of a mile from the cave, Cassandra slumped to the floor. She knew Henry would pass through here if he were to retrace his steps back to camp which seemed highly probable. He'd want to confront Peter about Wendy. Closing her eyes, she listened to the sounds of the jungle.

"Hello Henry." She spoke as she eventually heard feet dragging through the dirt. Eyes snapping open, she turned to the boy with a smile. "Why the long face?"

"Andie." His smile faltered. "You were right to not trust Pan. He's been keeping secrets."

"What do you mean? Come." She patted the ground beside her. "Have a seat m'dear."

"I found Wendy, Wendy Darling. Did you know?"

"Know what, that she's here? That she's dying?" She ran a hand through her hair. "Yes Henry. And don't go getting mad at me for not telling you. Both Peter and I had good reason not to say anything."

"I don't see what reason there could be! She's dying and I could save her!"

"Knowing a young girl's life depends on you... it's a burden no child should have to bear. We couldn't put that weight on your shoulders." Peter's voice cut in. The siblings looked up and there he was, lounging against a tree staring wistfully at the sky. "I'm sorry Henry, truly." His eyes flitted to Henry's, with an intense unwavering look.

Watching the exchange between them, Cassandra knew Henry was falling for Peter's charade. Emptying her lungs, she released the breath she had been holding. This was good. So why was there a nagging sensation in her head, probing at her mind? Trying to relax, she shoved at the feeling, tucking it away within the depths of her mind.

"So, I'm the only one who can save magic?" Henry sighed, resigned. He knew the answer.

"You are." Peter admitted regrettably. Henry turned to Cassandra, his eyes searching hers. She nodded with a soft smile. The boy shut his eyes, the duo waiting for the verdict in tense silence.

After a moment, Henry inhaled sharply. "How do I do it?" Peter smiled with relief.

That was it. Those five simple words were all it took. Henry had given away his life. Unknowingly sacrificed it to save Peter Pan who, not long ago, was nothing but a fairy-tale to him. Cassandra felt her perception of Henry shift. The game was so close to ending, it was as if he was already gone.

She snapped out of her daze just as Peter disappeared into the jungle with the ghost of Henry clambering after him.

Cassandra blinked. "Oh, we're moving? A bit of warning would have been nice." She grumbled to the empty clearing. "I'll just see you back at camp!" She hollered to the bushes. Darting in the other direction, she skipped into the jungle, heart thudding. Thudding with concern for Peter or for Henry, she didn't know.


	10. Chapter 8

**A/N: Finally, we find out how Peter and Rumpel know each other in this version of the tale.**

Cassandra beat against the drum with her palms, the hollow thumps in time with the other drummers. She watched Darrel as he hopped to the rhythm, pulling faces that brought rise to giggles from the younger boys who tried to mimic his actions.

The appearance of three figures caught her eye. Her hands slowed as she observed Peter carrying a 'sleeping' Wendy through the clearing, Henry at his heels. They passed through the throng without a second glance from the excitable dancers. The boys simply twirling out the way of their leader, continuing to move in time to the thundering beat.

"Andie!" Cassandra's gaze shot from where the trio had disappeared through the bushes, to Darrel's teasing grin. He was stood still, panting as he caught his breath. "Call that a tune?" He nodded to her hands that now lay still on the skin of the instrument.

"Is that a challenge?" She piped up and the music fell silent.

"Damn right it is." He narrowed his eyes. The small crowd watched in anticipation, eyes glued to the girl eyeing the drum in her lap.

 _BANG!_

Cassandra smacked the instrument once, its sound leaving the atmosphere tenser than before.

 _BANG!_

She did so again. This time following with another beat. And another. Each slam became faster and faster and soon a quiet patter grew in the background as the other drummers joined in. Darrel began to dance, jumping from foot to foot. As the tempo continued to increase, Darrel's movements rapidly turned jagged and haphazard. Waving his arms in the air and twisting in circles when he leaped. The thing about Darrel, his face never became pink. When he was tired, his complexion transitioned suddenly from pale white to a red more vibrant than his hair. Soon, he had turned that very colour, yet still he didn't give in. The beats almost seemed to slur into one and it wasn't until Peter marched back into the clearing that Cassandra decided to wrap up their game.

She hit the drum three times in quick succession with both hands to signal to the others. On the third beat, all sounds stopped instantaneously. You could have heard a pin drop if it weren't for the heaving breaths of a shattered Darrel who had now collapsed to the floor.

"My brothers!" Peter began as he came to a halt in the centre of the group, Henry at his tail. "Tonight, the dream of Neverland will awaken from its slumber." The triumph in his tone did not go unnoticed amongst the Lost Boys, and they listened eagerly, hungry for what he had to share. "Tonight, the heart of the truest believer shall fulfil its destiny, and with it our destiny... Tonight, Henry saves magic!"

A chorus of hoots and cheers sprung to life, immersing the clearing in noise. Yet, as Cassandra sat there, she had never felt like more of an outsider.

/

 _"Peter!" A small voice echoed through the trees, reaching a figure camouflaged against the bark. Peter sat at the base of a tree, amongst the autumn leaves heaped on the soil. He admired their multitude of colours: coppery browns, dull yellows, vivid crimsons. At the sound of his friend, he lifted his scruffy head, idly watching as the miniature form scurried through the woods searching for him. Peter whistled and chuckled at how sharply Rumpel's head shot towards him. The child's eyes widened with relief as he spotted the mud-caked boy and he sprinted across the crisp layer of leaves._

 _"Peter. I can't find him!" The strong accent twanged, filled with panic._

 _"Who?" He asked in a bored manner, already knowing who Rumpel was referring to._

 _"My father! He's not at the house, o-or the mill or-"_

 _"Rumpel. I told you already." Peter sighed, rolling onto the balls of his feet and pushing himself up. "He'll be at the pub."_

 _"But he swore he wouldn't go today. I made him promise."_

 _"Just as you did yesterday." Peter began strolling towards the town, Rumpel at his heels. "And the day before that...and the day before that."_

 _"I thought this time would be different." The boy pouted, kicking at the leaves._

 _"It will never be different." Peter looked at the sad boy with a twinge of sympathy. "C'mon, I'll race you."_

 _As intended, Rumpel beamed and his little legs sprung into motion. Peter made sure to run only slightly ahead, still able to hear the boy's sharp breaths. They burst from the woods, weaving through the crowds as they raced over the cobbles._

 _"Almost there!" Peter yelled over his shoulder causing Rumpel's steps to grow faster and faster. The older boy smirked and lengthened his strides as the finish came into sight. The pair smashed into the wall of the pub, Peter a few seconds before Rumpel._

 _"You're too fast." He complained between panting breaths._

 _"But you're getting faster." Peter patted him on the back. "You've been paying attention."_

 _"You're always gonna beat me."_

 _"Because you haven't been listening to me_ completely _." He crouched down to look into his eyes. "Stop running because you're chasing me and just run for the sake of it. It's just you. You and the ground beneath your feet. That's how it should always be."_

 _"You make it sound easy." Rumpel huffed._

 _"It is." He grinned. "Now let's go inside." Peter shoved at the door, swinging it wide open. The stench of ale and rum floated through, burning their noses._

/

The bushes rustled. However, the Lost Boys were oblivious. Several sets of eyes peered at the children from between the leaves. Each determined, focused on their goal. One of the invaders waved her hand and, as if dousing a candle, the light of each boy went out as they fell asleep.

Henry's team of rescuers crept into the clearing, ready to attack at a moment's notice. They scanned the faces of the bodies. After discovering Henry was nowhere to be seen, nor was the demon that kidnapped him, each set of shoulders slumped.

"Where's Pan?" Neal asked.

"I don't know... Henry!" Emma yelled.

"He's gotta be somewhere." David declared, still searching.

"Where!" Snow exclaimed.

"Any sign of Cassandra?" Emma asked the others.

"No, she's not here. Do you think she went back to Pan _at all_?" Snow wondered.

"'Course she did. You heard her in Echo Cave. No matter what pain it causes her, she'll always wander back to him, pining like a-"

"Hook." Emma cut the pirate off. "Not helping."

"So, she'll be with Henry and Pan then." David concluded.

"Looks like it." Emma confirmed, nodding.

"Help!" A small voice cried. Emma's head shot up, her eyes wide as she chased after the sound. She burst through the bushes and slowed to a stop. Her panting filling the silent gap between her and the owner of the plea. Looking at Emma with frightened doe-like eyes, was a young girl, trapped in a cage.

"You're an-" The girl was filled with disbelief. "An adult."

"My name's Emma." Cutting to the point, Emma shoved back the itch in her mind trying to figure out who the girl was. She felt as if she should have known. "I'm looking for my son."

"Wendy?" Neal appeared. At the way he addressed the girl, the realisation clicked within Emma's head. Wendy Darling. Of course. Who else.

"Do I know you?" Wendy enquired.

"It's Baelfire." Neal grinned broadly.

"You two know each other?" Emma asked, perplexed. Wendy considered Neal for a moment, her eyes narrowed as she tried to make the link.

"Bae!" She gasped.

"Yeah. Yeah, we do." Neal mused to Emma, his tone warm.

"Can it really be you?" Wendy smiled brightly as Neal hurried to her. He rattled the cage door, but the bars remained firmly in pace. He grabbed a rock from the ground and smashed it against the lock. Again, and again. Finally, the metal broke and the door swung open, freeing the girl in her scruffy nightwear.

"I thought I'd never see you again." Wendy spoke as she embraced Neal.

"What are you- wh- what are you doing here?" The words burst from his mouth in disbelief.

"Well, I- I came back to save you." She stumbled.

"You did that for me?"

"Well, I couldn't bear for you to be without a family, not after you told us that your mother and father were both dead." She answered, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"You told her I was dead?" Rumpel growled.

"It was easier than telling the truth," Neal quipped before trailing off, almost embarrassed. "My own father abandoned me."

/

 _"Oi! Malcolm." Peter marched towards the haggard man bent over a pack of cards. Malcolm paid neither him nor Rumpel any attention. Focusing on the man opposite with a giddy, drunken smile on his face. All of a sudden, the man grew agitated, banging a fist against the table._

 _"You tricked me!" Peter sighed as the offended grabbed Malcolm's wrist, revealing the card he had been hiding. Without hesitation, the man threw a punch at Malcolm's face, knocking him backwards. Rumpel immediately scampered towards the pair and clutched at the stranger's arm._

 _"Please!" He begged. "Don't hurt him, he's my father."_

 _Peter frowned, looking at the hopeless boy with pity. The man looked straight into the boy's pleading eyes._

 _"You'd be better off without him." The look on Rumpel's face. He was distraught. Peter couldn't believe that after all that_ pathetic mess _had put him through, Rumpel was still desperate for no harm to come to him. The man shoved Malcolm against the wall, winding him. As the trickster fell to the floor, the man grabbed a bag of coins from him and hurried off._

 _"Are you okay?" Rumpel shrieked to his father. Malcolm had no capability to acknowledge his idiocy. He had the nerve to joke about the rudeness of the man. He assured his son that all the money he just lost presented no real problem. The boy fretted, acting like the true grown up. Nothing like the pitiful excuse of a human that still lay on the floor._

 _Peter scoffed. Still unable to believe his eyes after all these years. "I think it's time we went home, don't you Malcolm?" He glared at Malcolm who was staggering to his feet._

 _"Quite right." Malcolm slurred. "Come Rumpel, it'll be getting dark soon." He smiled wearily and the trio made their back to their small, crumbling home._

/

The jungle floor was damp and cold. Cassandra's bare feet padded against the dirt as she skipped along after Peter and her brother. Light breaths of wind swam through the trees, causing the branches to wave as she passed. In any other situation, this would have been calming, friendly even. But, given where she was headed, it felt like more of a send-off. The kind where she was saying goodbye to her life as it was. Whoever came out of this alive, be it Peter or Henry, nobody would come out unscathed.

The moon watched from above, its eyes scrutinizing her actions and conscience. There were no kind looks from that glistening orb. If the tales about a man on the moon were true, he would certainly not be helping her tonight.

The only eyes that watched with pride, were the two yellow beams glowing in the dark. She bristled as the gaze glued to her like slime, increasing her pace to try and shake it off.

The shadow had been her first friend. Over the course of her time in Neverland, she learned it wasn't as honest and good as it had seemed. It was cunning. The soft spot it appeared to have for her was all imagined. She still liked the shadow, regardless of its true intentions. For the visits it had paid her as a young child, although part of a plot, had helped her nonetheless.

So the shadow to her, was indeed like an old friend... only she'd rather keep it at a distance.

Bursting from the wall of trees, feet sunk into sand.

"We have to row there? Can't we fly?" Henry queried curiously as he eyed a small boat perched on the beach.

"I'm afraid I'm not strong enough to carry the three of us, Henry. Not with the island's magic fading away."

Cassandra furrowed her brows, Peter sure was laying it on thick. Did he usually do this? Had she not noticed or had she simply not cared?

They pushed against the dark wood and the boat slipped into deeper water, allowing it to float. Henry scrambled in with a new sense of urgency. The two older individuals had to hold it steady due to his chaotic movements. Cassandra followed swiftly, the boat hardly swaying, sitting behind her brother at the rear of their mini vessel.

Peter pushed them slightly further into the sea, the boat slowly drifted outwards until it was stopped by the tug of Peter's hold. As the green-clad boy swung himself into the boat, Henry strained his neck trying to look at Cassandra without moving his body.

"Andie..." He trailed off, voice radiating uncertainty.

"It's okay Henry, I promise." Henry returned her smile with glee. Cassandra clenched her teeth behind her sealed lips. A false promise, the very thing she loathed. Her heart clogged with a sensation that had become painfully familiar to her these past few days.

Guilt.

/

 _Peter was up early that next morning. Searching around the pub for coins dropped by those too drunk to notice. The sun was climbing steadily into the sky. Fearful of being seen crawling through dirt, and the rumours that would cause, Peter decided to head to the Baker's. Elongating his spine as he stood so he looked as gentlemanly as a dirt-covered boy could, he strolled down the street- four coins jingling in his pockets._

 _The smell of freshly baked bread was yet to enter Peter's nose, when he spotted a familiar figure heading into town._

 _"Malcolm!" Peter hollered, chasing after him. The man halted, and swiftly spun around._

 _"Where're you going?"_

 _"Rumpel asked me to find a job." He stated absentmindedly._

 _"For some reason, I don't think that answers my question."_

 _"I'm going into town, we need food." He spluttered._

 _"For starters, the Baker's is that way." Peter pointed in the opposite direction. "Secondly, I seem to recall us not_ having _any money."_

 _"You act as if it's my fault." Malcolm grinned widely, clapping the boy on the back._

 _"It is!" He seethed. "You lost it all last night! Or were you too drunk to remember?"_

 _Malcolm's eyes clouded over. All jest had vanished. "How dare you!" The man spat, prodding at Peter's chest._

 _"Are you joking! You fool, what the hell were you thinking!" Peter yelled, not caring who heard. "Trying to do bloody card tricks when you're_ drunk _!"_

 _The next thing Peter knew was that he was on the floor. He felt wetness at his nose and he wiped at it, his hand coming away with smears of red. Peter blinked at the blood, looking up at the man in disbelief._

 _"I will not be spoken to like this!" Malcolm raged, though his voice was quieter he seemed more dangerous. "After all I've done for you. I took you in when you had_ nobody _and this is what I get?" Malcolm shook his head. "No, I won't stand for it. Get out of my sight. Don't go back to the house and stay the hell away from my son."_

 _The man turned around, fleeing the scene before any onlookers could make a fuss. Peter watched him until he disappeared around a corner, then clambered to his feet. There was one thing clear in his mind._

 _Rumpel couldn't stay here- with_ him _._

 _They would leave town. They'd go wherever they needed to if it meant Rumpel could be safe, if it meant they could have a new life._

 _Since Malcolm was probably headed to the pub, now was Peter's chance. He raced back to the house, not stopping for a rest. He burst through the door only to find the small cabin empty._

 _"Rumpel?" He shouted, checking the boy wasn't hiding anywhere. Peter grabbed a bag and threw some of his and Rumpel's belongings in it. It was unlikely they'd get a chance to return to the house without Malcolm catching them. He slung the pack over his shoulder and marched out the door._

/

"Hey, Wendy, since you've been here, have you seen my son? His name's Henry."

"You have a son?" Wendy feigned naivety.

"Yeah," He nodded. "A daughter too... but let's not get into that right now. Thing is, Pan needs his heart."

"Has he said anything about the heart of the truest believer?" Emma piped up. Impatient to discover useful information.

"No. I'm sorry. He never mentioned anything about a heart." Wendy lied through her teeth, trying to mimic Pan in all the ways she knew how. Eye contact. Speak slowly, steadily. It's not them you have to try and convince, it's yourself. They have no reason not to trust you... not yet.

"She's lying. Where is he?" The sharp words of the Dark One, sent Wendy's heart tumbling into a panic. She scolded herself for thinking she could get away with it. Despite being on Neverland much longer than Cassandra, the older girl had picked up Pan's tricks both faster and better than she had. Mischief was in that girl's blood, even if by some miracle she tried to change her ways... it would find her. Just as it would for Pan.

It didn't take long for Wendy to admit she had been lying. Her heart ached as she saw Neal's face drop. Feeling betrayed that she would deny him help when he needed it most. When she explained it was down to her protecting her brothers, Neal's expression softened with understanding.

"Wendy... we will save John and Michael, I swear to God. But right now, I really need your help." Neal begged, staring into Wendy's eyes. "Please."

Giving in, Wendy hesitantly revealed what she knew. The fear of Pan continued to claw at the back of her mind. Ears still thrumming, she took deep breaths as she tried to slow her racing pulse.

"Pan told Henry that... he needs his heart to save magic." She swallowed nervously. "But it's a lie. He needs it to save himself."

"What do you mean?" Neal asked.

"Pan's dying." She explained. "He needs the heart of the truest believer to absorb all the magic in Neverland. And once he does... he will be immortal, all powerful."

"And what happens to Henry?" Snow questioned desperately.

"Well, it's a trade." Dreading the looks that were about to appear on their faces, Wendy disclosed the final details of the scheme. "When Pan lives, Henry will die."

The group fell into a heavy silence, it felt as though it were dragging each of them into the ground.

"One last thing," Emma's gaze, glued to the floor, flickered to Wendy. "What does he want with Cassandra?"

Wendy hesitated.

"I don't think even Pan knows anymore."

/

 _It was mid-afternoon when Peter at last found the small bundle of energy he had been looking for. Little Rumpel was skipping down the cobbled road, a bright, albeit misplaced, smile stretched across his face. Peter snuck up behind him and swept him up in his arms, spinning around in circles._

 _"Stop!" The boy giggled. "I'm gonna be sick!"_

 _At last Peter released him. Rumpel turned, allowing Peter to see his friend's beam. Before it faltered suddenly._

 _"What's this?" He asked, gingerly tracing the small bruise on Peter's nose._

 _"Nothing." Peter wiped his hand away with a smile. "Ran into a tree believe it or not."_

 _The boy laughed before suddenly growing serious, sticking his hand into his pocket. "Look." He pulled out his closed fist and held it out for Peter to see. When he uncurled his fingers, Peter's heart jumped._

 _"Where'd you get that?" Peter asked hastily, eyes glued to the magic bean laying in Rumpel's palm._

 _"The women taking care of me. They said we could use it to get away from here."_

 _Peter's luck could not have been any greater. He didn't know who these women were- or how on earth they got their hands on such an item- but he was beyond caring. There was just one thought that brought his mind to a jarring halt._

 _"And by_ we _you mean?"_

 _"They meant just you and me... but I can't leave my father."_

 _"He does more damage than good Rumpel, you can't cling to him forever-"_

 _"I'm not leaving without him." Rumpel said bluntly, trapping the bean in his grip once more. Peter sighed. The pair of them were as stubborn as each other and Peter knew there would be no persuading him._

 _"Rumpel," The small boy looked up from his fist, eyes seeming angry but sadness lurked within. "You're my friend. My_ best _friend. If you want him to come with us, that's entirely your choice and I'll accept that."_

 _Rumpel's steely glare softened. "Thank you." He gave a toothy smile._

 _"Let me get him though. He'll be at the pub and it was wrong of me to take you in there yesterday."_

 _"Okay." The boy nodded. "I trust you."_

 _Peter swallowed nervously, trying not to let his guilt show. "I'll see you back at the house. And you take care of that thing, alright?"_

 _Throwing a wave over his shoulder, Peter jogged deeper into the town, pushing through the crowds. What was he going to tell Rumpel? Would the boy believe him if he said Malcolm didn't want to come? Unfortunately not. Rumpel would seek out his father instead and plead for him to come with them. What should he do..._

 _The idea rammed into him like a horse, bringing him to a stop._

 _There was only one thing that could be done. The only question being whether he was strong enough to do it._

 _The certainty in Peter's answer, was almost frightening. After all he had been through, there was no doubt about it. There were no limits as to what he would do to give himself and Rumpel a new life. And Rumpel never needed to know._

 _He would wait. Until the last shreds of light had vanished. Nobody would be suspicious once they caught a whiff of the reek of alcohol. Nobody would have any reason to think it was anything other than a tragic accident. It was unlikely the townsmen would even associate the word 'tragic' with the event. Many despised Malcolm and the only reason he hadn't been beaten to death was out of pity for poor Rumpel._

 _Nobody would investigate. Nobody would care. And as it turned out, not even Peter did. As he stood over the newly made corpse, Peter had two realisations._

 _The first:_

 _He had murdered._

 _The second:_

 _He had liked it._

/

"Ah, it's been a long time since I stepped foot on this shore." Peter spoke as the trio clambered from the boat onto the sand.

"You have never ever taken me here." Cassandra complained half-heartedly as she looked around. Nothing particularly exciting to see at the entrance, just sand and rock, but she knew from Peter's descriptions that the inside was _much_ more interesting.

"You never asked." Peter shrugged moving towards the staircase. This was true. There had never been a need to visit the giant hollow skull. Peter had told her the story about how he arrived in Neverland only once. But the one time he did, his explanations were so full of detail with words so well strung together, that she felt as though she had been there by his side. Not only that, during his account Cassandra had not failed to notice his distress. Tightened grip. Eyes flickering about more frequently as he did when he was worried (a rare occurrence). And the slight waver in his voice that usually flowed richly like honey dripping from a pot.

So, she made sure never to bring up the place that haunted him.

"What's that?" Henry chirped as Peter waved his hand over a line he had drawn in the sand. A near-invisible veil drifted upwards from the boundary, reaching up until it blocked off the staircase from the shore.

"It's a protection spell." He responded, stabbing the stick into the soft ground with a thud. "Now let's go. It's time."

Scaling the steps, the air gradually became stale and dense. It wasn't until they reached the cavern that a cool ribbon of air, from the gaping eyes of the skull, danced inside, tickling their skin.

"This is it. The place where you're going to save magic." Peter declared. Cassandra's eyes struggled to take it all in. The vast expanse, grand with the rock ceiling several metres high, was lit mainly by the glow of the tall skull hourglass.

The hourglass that broke her heart. That was Peter's lifeforce draining away. And there was nothing she could do. She wanted to scoop the sand back into the top half- she would happily do so for an eternity if it meant he could live- but no amount of willpower could break that glass.

"Why does it have to be here?" Henry wondered.

"Well, because this is the location from which Neverland's magic emanates." Peter spoke, sounding as if he were a tour guide.

"What's the hourglass for?" Cassandra gaped at Henry, was it not obvious? She thought that, in light of his powerful imagination, he'd be sure to deduce the purpose of the structure with ease. Evidently not.

"It marks how much time we have left before Neverland's magic runs out."

"It's almost empty." Cassandra refrained from scoffing at Henry's insightful observations. "Is something wrong?" It was then that Cassandra too spotted that Peter had gone quiet, in a trance of sorts.

"No. Come with me." The boy smiled. He ushered Henry to one of the small bubbles in the rock walls, tucking the boy away where he could neither hear nor see the main cavern. "There's something we need to take care of before we get started, okay?"

Henry nodded and Peter returned to the large dome where Cassandra was still waiting.

"What is it?" She whispered.

"Rumpel." Peter stopped as he reached her side, his fingers sliding between hers. "This has been a long time coming."

Cautious footsteps sounded from the staircase and Cassandra stiffened. Rumpelstiltskin emerged, a cold, intimidating look on his face. However, his eyes betrayed him. Fear peeked out from between his lids. He eyed the pair of them, lips curling into a snarl.

"Hello, Rumpel." Peter grinned beckoning him over with his free arm. "Oh, I see you've come bearing gifts."

Squinting, Cassandra saw the small metal box clutched tightly in Rumpelstiltskin's iron grip.

"Where's Henry?" The man growled.

"That would spoil the game, now wouldn't it?" Peter winked, further agitating him. "I'm more interested to know why you haven't told the others about our past."

"I told them you killed my father. That's all they need to know." Rumpel spat. He turned to Cassandra. "I assume he's told you _his_ version of the tale?"

"He told me the truth." Her voice was firm and steady.

"Oh, I really doubt that."

"A truth is a truth, regardless of who tells it." She replied simply.

"I'm afraid that logic only stands, when the teller isn't a scheming lying _coward_."

"Come Rumpel, don't lie to yourself. We both know if that's how you saw me, I'd already be in that box."

"You don't think I can do it?" He asked bewildered. "You let me inside just to- what- taunt me?"

"No. To see you again, to give you one last chance." All trace of jest was gone from Peter's face. "Stay with me. Let this go. Let's start over."

"Do you think I want to be with you? That I could ever forgive you after what you did?"

"I never wanted to hurt you Rumpel. You were my friend."

"I think that if that were true, I'd have seen my father grow to old age."

"He was a drunkard Rumpel! He wouldn't be there for you forever, it was only a matter of time!" Peter shouted, the tug at his hand being the only thing that kept him from lunging forward.

"So, you finally admit it... what you did?"

"I was doing what he had the _chance_ to do _time and time again_ … give you your best chance."

"That's what _you_ think. But we both know time is a curious thing. How much it can change a person; how much it could have changed him. If only you'd given him the chance."

"Rumpel," Peter's tone was now soft and gentle, revealing a sense of vulnerability. "You're right. I was rash and impulsive. I've seen how what I did affected you, if I could go back and change it, I would. Now, you know better than anyone how important second chances are. Please, give me mine."

Rumpel considered Peter for a moment, absorbing all he had said. "Some aren't entitled to such luxuries. Cassandra," At the sound of her name, the girl snapped to attention from her passive state of observation. "How many do you think he deserves?"

Cassandra was taken aback. How many second chances? A question too large for one to answer. She tried to think. How many times _could_ Peter break her heart before the pieces were too small to put back together? There were two answers: one being a countable, finite number; the other, infinitely many chances. Neither was pleasant. Finite suggested her love was limited, dependent on time. Infinite chances suggested all their relationship would ever be was an endless cycle of Peter toying with her emotions and Cassandra willingly allowing it.

"Enough Rumpel." Peter said firmly. "Aren't you tired of this feud? Let's put this behind us, let's end this."

"Yes. Let's." Waving his hand over the box, Rumpel's smirk folded into a frown. "I don't understand."

"'Cause you don't have it." Peter brought a matching box from behind his back.

Rumpel's face dropped in despair. "You switched them?"

"Still having trouble believing. In Neverland, all you have to do is think of something to have it." He declared. "Even something fake. But the real one... Well, let's see what it can do."

"No!" Rumpel yelled reaching out to stop Peter, voice full of anguish. Peter waved his hand over the box and it began to click as the cogs inside it moved. Cassandra winced as red mist bellowed around the 'invincible' Dark One.

"I'm sorry, Rumpel. You had your chance. The choice was yours." The mist floated back into the box, taking Rumpelstiltskin with it. Peter looked up from the box to the blonde standing quietly beside him. "Let's go get Henry." He spoke, squeezing her hand.

/

 _"H-he's not coming?" Rumpel asked, tone overflowing with heartbreak. Peter had arrived back at the house when Rumpel spotted him from the window and raced outside to meet him._

 _"Sadly no." Peter placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I tried- spent hours trying to convince him... but he wouldn't have any of it. I'm sorry Rumpel." He wiped at his false tears._

 _Instead of receiving a gush of reassurances, Rumpel grabbed Peter's raised wrist harshly._

 _"What's that?" He asked, voice low and... was that anger?_

 _Peter stopped rubbing at his face. He blinked at Rumpel, dumbfounded. The boy used his other hand to shove Peter's sleeve to his elbow._

 _"That." He growled, shocking the older boy once more. Glancing to where Rumpel was referencing, Peter felt panic slip through his mask._

 _"My nose was bleeding earlier remember." He quickly explained the blood smeared from his wrist to his elbow. "It must have got onto my hand- dripped down my sleeve." He tried to pull his arm away, but Rumpel simply gripped harder._

 _"That blood's fresh. Your nose stopped bleeding hours ago." As if the wind had been knocked out of him, Rumpel let go. Tiny indentations left on Peter's skin from his nails. "What did you do?" Rumpel looked up to his friend, terror in his eyes._

 _If there was one thing Peter had always been good at, it was stories. Telling them. Twisting them. Creating them. He calmly reached at ideas within his mind, sewing together a suitable tale._

 _"Rumpel." Peter said, filled with melancholy. "I didn't want to tell you this, but there's something you should know." He took a deep breath and signalled to the stain on his forearm. "Malcolm did that. He attacked me when I mentioned the idea of leaving. And that's not the first time. Earlier, well... it wasn't a tree that got me." He gave a wry chuckle, pointing at the purple splodges coating his nose. "I'm just glad it wasn't you he hit."_

 _He looked up into Rumpel's eyes, expecting to see a multitude of Rumpel-like emotions passing through his eyes: sympathy, confusion, hurt, sadness, betrayal._

 _And that's what he saw. But it was only once Rumpel had spoken that he realised who those emotions were aimed at._

 _"You... killed... him... " Tears began to flow down his cheeks. "Didn't you!" He screamed._

 _"R-Rumpel." Peter stuttered, gobsmacked. He couldn't believe it. Rumpel was smarter than he gave him credit for. "We don't have time for this, he might try and stop us from leaving, keep us here with him. We have to leave. Now."_

 _"No! I'm not going anywhere with you! I'll never let you have it." He dug his hand into his pocket and his face immediately fell. "I-I don't-"_

 _"I told you to take good care of it." Peter sighed and raised his hand, between his thumb and index finger rested the magic bean. "I'm sorry Rumpel. But like I said, we need to go." He pelted the bean at the ground, Rumpel's shrill screech drowned out by the sound of the portal opening._

 _A swirl of green began devouring the ground in a vicious spiral. Peter grabbed Rumpel's hand and tugged him towards it._

 _"I. Said. No!" He screamed, kicking and flailing until Peter's hold loosened. He wasted no time, sprinting off into the trees before Peter had a chance to grab him. Eyes darting between the disappearing figure, and the gradually closing portal, Peter chose quickly._

 _Closing his eyes, he jumped into the portal, the swirling emerald shutting behind him._

/

"It's time, Henry. Time to save magic, to save Neverland."

"What do I have to do?" It was clear, by Henry's tone, that he had accepted the responsibility placed upon him.

"You must give me your heart, Henry... the heart of the truest believer."

"You mean... I have to believe." Henry corrected Peter awkwardly. Cassandra bit her lip.

"No, Henry." She exhaled and took hold of her brother's hands. "He means... you need to give him your heart." She stared into his eyes, watching the naivety turn to understanding, like a thick fog rolling over the shore.

"But... what will happen to me?" His voice cracked with nerves.

"Well, you'll become the greatest of all heroes." Peter exclaimed triumphantly. Henry released Cassandra's hands, forming fists at his sides.

"You can tell me the truth. I know all magic comes with a price." The sudden shift in Henry's attitude. No longer appearing anxious or panicked. He seemed... grown up. "Saving it must come with a price, too."

Peter sighed, frowning in mock surrender. "I would never lie to you, Henry. I mean, you're right. There is a price." Raising a brow, Cassandra listened with intrigue. Surely, Peter wouldn't be so honest with Henry. "You have to stay here, on the island with me." Of course he wouldn't. Cassandra's posture slumped. "Neverland will become your new home. I know it's a huge sacrifice, but isn't it worth it?"

"Heroes have to make sacrifices all the time. My family taught me that." A strong, reassuring smile bloomed on Henry's face.

"Then they'd be proud if they could see you now, because you're about to save them all. Now are you ready?"

"Yes." Henry replied at the same time Cassandra screamed 'NO!' inside her head.

"Then let me help you." Gripping Henry's wrist, Peter waved his other hand over the boy's palm, causing it to glow an orange-red. The child stared at his hand in awe. Glancing up at Peter for confirmation, he plunged his hand into his chest. A squishing sound arose as Henry grabbed at his heart and yanked it from his body. The pulsing object glowed a vibrant red. Cassandra had not seen many hearts in her lifetime, but she knew as she observed the one before her, that there were none as bright as Henry's. Cassandra felt sick. She wanted to stop this. The small, gullible child readied himself to push the organ into where Peter's own resided...

"Henry, wait!" Cassandra's heart leapt with relief as her father's voice echoed around them. Henry's hand froze. Three heads shot up from a thumping heart to see three adults sprinting into the cave. "Whatever Pan's telling you to do, don't do it."

"Dad? You're alive?" Henry asked wide-eyed.

"I am, buddy. And I need you to listen to me. Pan is lying to you."

"Oh, pleasure to see you, too, Baelfire, not to mention the Saviour," Peter grimaced. "And the Evil Queen."

"Henry, you need to get away from him now. He's trying to hurt you." Emma told her son.

"No. The heart of the truest believer. It's what's gonna save magic. It's gonna save all of you."

"No, it's not." Regina tried to explain. "This was never about magic, Henry. You have to believe us. The only person Pan's interested in saving, is himself.

"That's not true!"

"Of course it isn't." Peter snapped.

"Yes, it is! Pan can't live without you dying. If you give him your heart, it's gonna kill you." Neal argued, refraining from letting the panic he must be feeling show in his voice. He had only just found out he had a son. Now he was about to lose him. Cassandra pinched herself, was that empathy?

"They're trying to stem your belief, Henry. But don't let them. Remember," Peter clutched at the boy's shoulder. "Every hero gets tested."

It was clear Henry was starting to seem unsure. He licked his dry lips and looked down at the heart nervously.

"Henry..." The calm voice of Emma Swan broke the silence. "I know what being a hero looks like, and this isn't it."

"Why would they lie?" Henry asked earnestly.

"Because that's what adults do, Henry." Peter reasoned. "You know that better than anyone."

"Henry," Regina rushed, the mayhem in her head leaking through. "You have to believe us!"

"Your parents don't care about Neverland, Henry. They know if you give your heart to save it, then you'll have to stay." Peter moved to Henry's side, looking at the grown-ups with disgust. "They're being selfish because they don't want to lose you."

"Henry, you have to trust us." Emma spoke softly.

"Trust! I'm the only one who's ever been honest with you, Henry-"

"Quiet!" The bickering fell silent. "Just keep quiet, all of you." Henry took a deep breath, thoughts whirring chaotically behind his eyes. Then, they slowed as they clutched at an idea. Henry turned to the blonde who had been watching the back-and-forth arguments in silence.

"Andie." Though his voice was gentle, the girl could tell how anxious he was. "You know what it's like, not knowing the truth, not knowing who to trust... what should I do?" He motioned to the heart thumping in his hand.

Cassandra blinked. She couldn't believe it. She had wished she could have a say in Henry's fate. And for once, her wish had come true. She glanced to Emma, Neal and Regina, the people who looked at Henry with a kind of love she'd never experienced. They stared back at Cassandra. In their eyes... they were begging her, begging her to do the right thing.

Then her eyes flickered to Peter. That steely look on his face. He thought he knew who she'd choose. However, his confidence was ebbing away with every second she didn't respond.

The girl shut her eyes. She became more aware of her surroundings; of those waiting for her judgement; of the tension pouring into the stale, empty air. More importantly, she became more aware of the conflictions inside herself...

No matter what her gut screamed for her to do, her selfish heart stomped down on the sliver of conscience she possessed. Henry had given her the worst thing he could have. A choice. A choice with no right answer. She had wanted to save Henry. And only now, with the power to do just that, she realised the kind of person she really was... and always would be.

A naïve, lovesick fool.

"Please. Tell me." Henry pleaded. "Should I do this?"

Eyes flew open, and slowly, Cassandra gave a single nod.

And then chaos ensued.

"No, no, no, no!" Three voices cried.

"I'm sorry." Their little boy apologised.

"No!" They cried out again, but it was too late. Cassandra cringed as she heard the squelch of the heart enter Peter's chest. She tried to ready herself for the blast of magic she knew would come. The force blasted outwards from Peter, knocking her to the rough stone floor.

"Henry!" The pain of parents who had just watched their son die. It was louder than a hurricane. Drilling into your ears. Pain so thick you could feel it like a knife to your chest.

Cassandra pushed herself to her feet and looked down at her brother. Lifeless on the cold, hard rock.

And, although nobody saw, her eyes glossed over with a veil of tears.

The choice was hers.

And she had chosen.


	11. Chapter 9

**A/N: Was Cassie's choice enough to save Peter?**

Emma, Neal, and Regina were crouched at Henry's side in an instant.

"Oh god," Emma said, shaking her son. "Is he unconscious?"

"Henry, can you hear us?" Regina cried. Cassandra watched the panicking parents, as she swayed on her shaking legs.

"He passed out as soon as his heart went into Pan." Neal informed, though the mothers saw that for themselves.

"Is he breathing?"

Cassandra found herself wanting to help; to explain exactly what had happened.

"I don't know." Neal fretted. Cassandra wanted to yell at them all. For being so useless. They should be able to tell if a body was breathing. If they couldn't help him they needed to move ahead and think of a plan, instead of whining over a corpse.

The rush of power had caused Peter to rise into the air, and now he was slowly floating back to the rock floor. As he came into everyone's vision once more, Emma turned to him.

"What the hell did you do to him?" She spat. None of her anger hidden.

"Oh, I didn't do anything, Emma." Cassandra looked at his smug face. Did he feel the slightest bit of regret? Or even sadness that, despite being necessary, it had to come to this? "It was Henry. He offered me his heart of his own free will."

Still, he wore that confident and smug expression. Did he need to toy with the parent's anymore? He had what he wanted.

Emma quickly drew her sword. "I'm gonna take it back from you." She lunged forward towards Peter, slicing the blade through the air. Cassandra's heart squeezed. Luckily, he disappeared before the metal could scrape him.

Peter picked up Pandora's box from where it sat on a rock. "I don't think you have it in you." He drawled. "Rumpelstiltskin didn't." He chucked the box between his hands, a knowing smile on his face. "Why should you?"

"Where is he?" Emma demanded. Cassandra began edging her way towards the staircase. Peter antagonising them was the best distraction she was going to get.

"What did you do?" Neal looked between Peter and the box, wishing his suspicions weren't true. Cassandra took another step.

"Oh, he's right in this box." Peter smirked to himself with pride. "Safe and sound. And out of the way. Unfortunately for you, he can't hurt me anymore. And neither can you."

Another step. Peter's eyes flickered to her for a fraction of a second.

"Really?" Emma asked. Emma swung forward, jabbing the sword at Peter. He took a second too long to react, and the metal nicked his skin. "How did that feel?"

Cassandra paused. Heart pounding.

"Like a tickle." His mouth stretched into an eerie smile. Cassandra let out the breath she was holding. He was fine. Her foot slid backwards once more. Peter rose into the air, out of harm's way. He couldn't help but glance to Cassandra one last time, an odd look in his eyes. She had no time to figure it out before he flew through one of the skull's eyes and into the night air.

Emma had seen him looking at something; she spun around to see the pale blonde girl, hollows beneath her eyes, wobbling on her feet. The hot anger flaring within Emma vanished as a strange emotion flashed through her. Some combination of pity and heartache that she wouldn't have expected to feel when looking at the girl who helped kill her son. But that girl was her daughter. And she was frightened. Whether Cassandra would acknowledge it or not, she had been affected by the events that had occurred over the past few days. And maybe it wasn't just that. Perhaps the pain of all the trauma she had endured in her life had accumulated, and now she no longer had the strength to bury and hide it.

Which is why, when Cassandra tried to dash for the stairs, Emma shoved her palm outwards. A glowing ball of white, fired at Cassandra's legs, locking them into place.

Emma turned away from the trapped girl and kneeled next to Henry. "How is he?" She asked Regina, who hadn't taken her eyes off their son.

"You're going to be all right, Henry." She soothed her unconscious son, not answering the woman beside her. "We're gonna get you home." She waved her hand over Henry's body. "This preservation spell can keep him in this condition for a while longer. Buy us time to get to P-"

She stopped as she heard the near-silent sounds of a struggle. Light huffs of breath. Regina whipped her head towards the noise. Her eyes lay upon the form stood by the exit. Cassandra's torso was twisting and turning as she banged against various parts of her legs with her fists. Not questioning who froze the girl, Regina jumped to her feet and marched towards her.

"Regina!" Emma yelled as the woman curled her fingers, standing in front of the girl who now clawed at her own throat.

"Where is he!" She boomed. All Cassandra responded with were whispering breaths as she tried to fight the invisible hands strangling her. "Tell me!" She tightened her fist and Cassandra wheezed in pain.

"Regina, stop!" Emma raced to her friend, leaving Neal to watch over Henry. "She can't tell us anything if she can't breathe!"

Regina turned to Emma, her hold still strong. "She's the reason he's dead." Her voice cracked and tears pricked her eyes.

"No. Pan is." Emma said carefully. "Every second we spend hurting her, is one second further from finding Pan, and saving Henry." Emma sighed in relief as Regina's hand dropped to her side, breaking both the spells, and Cassandra hit the hard ground.

Bending down, Emma nudged her daughter's shoulders, rolling her face-up. "And she's unconscious. Brilliant."

"Don't you get at me like that." Regina growled. "I'm the only one doing anything!"

"Well you just knocked out our best lead so-"

"Do you think she was just going to help us that easily? I'm sorry for trying to save my son."

" _Our_ son. I want to save him too believe it or not. I know how you feel but-"

"You have no idea what I feel." Regina jabbed. "You have your parents. You have this-" She gestured to Neal trying to find the right word. "-person; a pirate who pines for you. You have everything and yet you claim to know what I feel?" Tear began pricking again. "All I have is Henry and I'm not about to lose him because he is _everything_."

"You're right." Emma said softly, surprising the tearful woman. "I don't know what you feel. So, what do you want to do? You want to run the show? Run it. How do we save Henry?"

"I don't know." Regina mumbled, defeated. She waved her hand towards the sleeping body of Cassandra, and she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Where'd you send her?" Emma asked.

"Back to camp. They'll make sure she stays there when she wakes up."

"What happens if we find Pan?" Neal worried. "He was powerful enough before without Henry's heart. I-I don't know if we can hurt him."

Something on Emma's sword caught Regina's eye. She smiled as an idea came to her. "Yes, we can. Look." The others looked to where she was pointing. A small trail of blood pooled on the blade. "You nicked him. He can bleed. We can hurt him. And if we can hurt him, we can kill him." In the place of Regina, stood the Evil Queen, smiling her malicious grin.

/

 _Lying comfortably across the length of Neal's sofa, Cassandra tried not to doze off as she waited. Her heavy eyelids flew open as she heard a sound at the door. She swung her feet off the cushions, placing them gently on the cool wooden floor._

 _It should have been Neal at the door, but Cassandra knew better. She knew what the picking of a lock sounded like. And to top it off, there were hushed voices. None of which were Neal's. Grabbing her shoes from the floor, she sprung to the window. Rapidly, she crawled onto the fire escape, her bare feet recoiling at the frigid metal. She slid the window shut behind her and dived out of view just as the door swung open. She sat on the cold stairs and shoved her shoes on, suddenly wishing she'd grabbed a jacket too._

 _She had been spending time with Neal in his apartment till Tamara got home from work. He'd needed to buy something and with the promise that he would only be gone half an hour, Cassandra waited for him. Of course, it was only after he had gone, that she remembered how boring his small apartment was._

 _It had been several minutes since she'd been forced to flee outside and Cassandra wondered how long it would be until Neal returned. If the trespassers in the apartment were indeed thieves, Cassandra would have taken care of them- anything to pass the time. However, she had received a message from the 'Home Office' which informed her and Tamara that Rumpelstiltskin, Emma Swan, and the Truest Believer, had left Storybrooke and were headed towards New York. It really didn't require that much thought to realise who it was that had broken in._

 _The window reopened, catching Cassandra's attention, and a small boy appeared. Quickly, she scurried further up the fire escape, before he could spot her. Peering through the gaps in the grating, she looked down at the child. She knew who he was. Her brother. But more importantly, he was the Truest Believer._

 _"Henry. Henry?" A blonde woman clambered after him._

Emma Swan _. This woman was the monster Cassandra had grown up hearing about: her birth mother. She could sense the rage banging at the door to her mind, trying to flood her body. But she knew this was neither the time nor place for vengeance, so Cassandra shut the anger firmly out._

 _"So, that's him?" Henry asked. Cassandra raised a brow, perplexed._

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned desperately._

 _"Because I never thought I would see him again. I never wanted to." Emma answered solemnly._

 _Cassandra had to stop herself snapping her finger as her brain caught on. Henry had just discovered who his father was... which meant Neal was home. She sighed with relief. Now all she needed to do, was introduce herself to the visitors from Storybrooke in such a way that did not spark any suspicion._

 _She had no desire to listen to Emma's ramblings which were only designed to gain pity from her son. Blankly watching the pair of them, Cassandra grinned as Emma disappeared inside. Steadily, Cassandra climbed down the fire escape and perched herself next to Henry._

 _The boy jumped and began edging away uncomfortably._

 _"Hey, it's okay. You know Neal?" She asked, plastering a friendly and trustworthy smile on her face._

 _"Um, kinda." His mouth contorted into an expression that could only be described as discomfort. "Sorry, who are you?"_

 _"Cassandra." She held out her hand. "A friend of Neal's." Henry gripped her hand and Cassandra smiled. What a stupid kid. He was too trusting. This was going to be too easy._

 _Their conversation was cut short when Neal joined them._

 _"Cassandra? What're you doing out here?"_

 _"I heard someone picking the lock." She said sheepishly. "Thought it'd be safer to hide out here, till you got back."_

 _"You didn't call the police?" He frowned._

 _"_ _No phone." She shrugged._

 _"_ _Well I suppose your safety's more important than a TV anyway." He smiled. "It's alright though, I know these guys so there's nothing to worry about." His voice was calm and reassuring. Cassandra nodded. "This is… my son- Henry." He motioned to the boy. "And we've got quite a bit of catching up to do."_

 _Sensing that was her signal to exit, Cassandra stood up. "Well it was nice to meet you Henry. Neal, I'm just gonna head home so I'll see you later." The blonde skipped to the window and slipped inside._

 _As her shoes slapped the wooden floor, the warmth of the apartment seeped into her skin. She was greeted by Emma and Rumpelstiltskin._

 _"Who are you?" Emma asked, confused._

 _"Cassandra. I hid on the fire escape when you broke in." She said casually, her urge to kill Emma well hidden. "And you are...?"_

 _"E-Emma." The woman replied, caught off guard. Rumpel stared down at Cassandra intimidatingly. Emma saw he wasn't going to answer. "This is Mr Gold, not much of a conversationalist."_

 _"Right." The girl fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. "Nice to meet you, I've got to home so... " She shuffled awkwardly to the door. "Bye."_

/

The first thing Cassandra noticed as she clambered into consciousness, was the scratchy rope tied around her wrists. Same with her ankles.

"You won't talk?" A voice yelled angrily. Cassandra's ears pricked at the loud noise, though it was slightly muffled as one ear rested against the soft earth. "How about I make you talk?"

"Regina, wait." Emma's quiet yet commanding tone appeared. There was at least three people: Henry's mothers and someone being questioned. Though chances were, there would be more.

"There's no time!" Regina snapped.

"I don't think torture is our best move here. Look at these kids." More than one Lost Boy? How many had they captured? After debating whether to continue her role as the unconscious lump, Cassandra cracked open her eyes. "They've been to hell and back. We need to try something else."

Sat in the dirt, wrists bound, was a line of Lost Boys. All of them. Even Felix, who was perched on a chair at the opposite end to where she lay. Well that was hardly fair- she had half her face covered in mud, and he got a seat! In front of her tall friend, stood Regina with Emma at her shoulder. So, it was Felix being interrogated first then.

"Yeah, we tried that." Regina argued. Cassandra couldn't see who else was there, which of Henry's rescuers, not without moving her head. "They don't respond to reason. What else do you have to offer?"

Felix, who was now confident the woman wasn't going to hurt him, was looking around lazily. He glanced to Cassandra's slumped form and his eyes widened marginally as he found her watching him. They exchanged a look. A skill they had developed over their time knowing each other, for Felix wasn't one to throw words about carelessly.

Most of the boy's kept their conversations with him rather short, they all had great respect for him, but he was more of an authority figure than a friend (similar to how they viewed Peter). Cassandra, on the other hand, spent a lot of time with Felix. In the early days, it was to irritate him, getting under that boy's skin was too fun of a pastime. But over time, she grew to like him, sometimes the Lost Boys were too rowdy and energetic. Felix was calm and steady, if you didn't agitate him of course. She appreciated that.

"What every kid wants." Emma spoke slowly. Cassandra's eyes darted away from Felix and to the blonde. She kicked herself. Emma had spotted she was awake. The woman smiled kindly. "A mother."

The words sent a chill through her body. It was a peculiar chill though. One where her body couldn't decide if it was experiencing good or bad feelings. Was it disgust? Dread? Maybe- and Cassandra hated the notion- relief? Or hope? As if she could now relax, saved... by the very people she despised less than a week ago.

She couldn't be having that. Where was her integrity? She chose Peter. She was glad. Now she needed to own up to that choice.

"Sorry Emma," Done playing dead, she sat up, her fingers beginning their magic on the rope. "But I think mothers are a little overrated." Now able to see her entire surroundings, Cassandra was a little unnerved by the amount of people present. All of Henry's rescuers were there. Apart from Rumpelstiltskin, thank god, who must still be in the box. Though, chances of everyone escaping were still low with that many watchdogs.

"Cass-"

"No thank you, we don't need to hear your tale of woes. One which you're only telling us because you _need_ us." She smiled wryly. Behind her back, she was almost finished untangling the rope. Her hands came free, only to suddenly become bound again. Cassandra's brows furrowed.

"I'm not asking you to pity me. I know what you've all been through-"

"You don't know us! You've been here a week!" Cassandra gritted her teeth as she struggled to untie her hands again. "How could you possibly know?"

She made a small triumphant noise as the rope fell slack, she swung her arms in front of her and then her grin dropped. The rope flew around her and retied itself around her wrists.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." She muttered.

"Genius as always, Andie." Felix hollered.

"Shut your face, how was I supposed to know?" She spat back.

"Maybe because we're all still tied up." He nodded to the line of Lost Boys. Before Cassandra could make a sarcastic remark, Regina cut their chat off.

"Hey!" The pair fell silent. "Shut up." She warned, then looked to Emma.

The Saviour nodded to her friend. "I'm not claiming to know everything about each of you." She said gently. "I'm saying I know what it's like to be an orphan. For a long time, I thought I was never gonna find my family. I was a Lost Girl." She ignored Cassandra's scoff. "And I was reminded today that I am not alone. That I have a lot of people who love me."

Cassandra saw the Charmings exchange soppy smiles. David caught her glaring at them and he fidgeted uncomfortably.

"And I never thought that was going to happen. If that can happen to me, it can happen to you." Emma finished her speech off with a hopeful and pleading look.

"Pan is the only family we need." Felix hissed.

"No," Emma said bluntly. "Family doesn't do what he did. Pan lied to you and made you do terrible things." She pointed to her son still on the verge of death. "He lied to Henry and convinced him to give up his own heart!"

"To save the island." A quiet voice reasoned. Cassandra glanced down to see it was Tootles, the boy she had nicknamed due to his usual incessant whistling.

"No, to save himself." She revealed.

"Don't listen to her. Pan cares about all of us." Felix declared. Cassandra eyed him thoughtfully. He looked back at her, a subtlety in his expression confirming her theory. He knew. He knew Emma was telling the truth. Of course Peter would have told him, Felix was his Second-in-command: loyal and trustworthy.

"No, he doesn't." Emma persisted. "We care about you. And we can save you. We can take you home with us- "

Cassandra coughed, getting Emma's attention. "Sorry, but did I hear you say you _care_ about us?"

The woman nodded.

"Well... that's a blatant lie, isn't it? You don't care about us at all. If you could save Henry without our help, you wouldn't be here right now, trying to take us home with you. _Saving_ us," Cassandra said the words with disgust, "as you call it. You wouldn't care, we wouldn't even _cross your mind_." She stretched out the last words, piling endless resentment into each syllable.

"Cassandra. People change. Obviously, I came here only thinking about Henry, but that changed. I saw the looks in your eyes. We want to help, but we can only do that if you let us.

"There's no reason to fear Pan anymore. Until he absorbs the power from Henry's heart, he can be stopped." She revealed.

"You just have to tell us where he is." Snow explained.

Felix stood up from his chair. "Leave now while Pan still allows you to breathe." He seethed as Hook placed his hook on the boy's shoulder, forcing him back down into his seat. "That's the only help you'll get."

"Where. Is. Pan?" Emma asked him.

"Not. Telling." Felix responded stubbornly.

"Can you really bring us home?" Despite being the youngest Lost Boy, Tootles had never been shy or timid, he never stopped moving or making noise. Constantly racing, jumping, climbing, and of course, whistling. However, the boy she watched now, looking up at Emma with big, vulnerable eyes was not Tootles. It was a mere shadow of him.

"Shut your mouth!" Felix snapped at the small boy. Cassandra frowned. She focused on each of the boys. Devin and two others looked just as resolute as Felix. Eddie seemed as defeated as Tootles. The rest... looked unsure. They, Darrel amongst them, kept flickering between Felix, Emma and Cassandra.

They knew Felix's stance. They knew Emma's. They thought they knew Cassandra's, but she seemed more subdued than she would normally be, and they began to second guess themselves. If Cassandra of all people went against Pan, the Lost Boy's would follow immediately. But... _would_ she?

Emma kneeled in front of Tootles. Her pleading gaze unwavering. "Yes, with your help."

Tootles eyes glued themselves to the floor in shame as he prepared to disclose what they needed. Cassandra could see the conflict in his head, and she was powerless to influence. "His Thinking Tree."

Though, which way she would influence, she didn't want to know.

"NOOO!" Felix yelled, horrified.

"Yes, his thinking tree." Eddie confirmed. Cassandra's chest tightened at the grateful smile Tootles shot him. This was what it meant to be a Lost Boy. They stuck together. They were family. Given, the mutiny wasn't typically part of their description.

"Stop it all of you!" Felix protested again. Cassandra realised she wasn't reacting the same way, she wasn't screaming at the betrayal. She was tired. Sick of this back and forth conflict between conscience and heart. She just wanted it all to stop.

"What is that?" Emma quizzed Tootles and Eddie.

"That's where he goes when he wants to be alone." Tootles answered.

" _Not_ how it sounds I promise." Cassandra piped in, gaining a baffled, naive look from the small boy.

"You can find him there." Eddie added. "It's not far."

"No, don't trust her!" Felix warned. "Andie, tell them!"

Everyone's eyes darted to the hunched girl. She didn't move in response to the stares, she just looked straight at Felix.

"Have a little faith Felix." The corner of her lips turned upwards. "Peter Pan never fails, remember?"

Felix observed her for a moment before he smiled too. "Fair play."

Emma could sense the Lost Boys were starting to drift, Cassandra's words had made their mark. She needed to get the information now before they changed their minds about betraying Pan.

She turned to the pair that had told her about the Thinking Tree. "Can you tell us where that is?"

Tootles watched the woman in silence. Her tangled, blonde hair sticking to the grime on her jaw. She looked desperate. Desperate people did extreme things but... maybe it could be a good sort of extreme. Like saving over a dozen Lost Boys from their incredibly powerful leader.

Tootles nodded hesitantly. "But you have to swear... swear that you'll take us with you."

"I promise." Emma's eyes began to water. "We are going home." Those words, said with so much compassion, were the best Tootles had heard in all his life.

So, he told them the truth.

"The Pixie Woods? That's where he is?" Regina checked.

"It's just north of here." Tootles nodded. "It's where the pixie dust used to grow."

"Funnily enough." Cassandra chimed.

Emma looked to Hook. "You know where that is?"

"Aye." The pirate drawled. "The whole region is deserted now. No one but Pan has set foot in those woods in centuries."

"Then let's make history." Neal said, a determined look on his face.

Emma shook her head. "We're gonna need you here. Once we get Henry's heart, it's a race back. We need help on both ends."

Neal paused whilst the logic of her words sunk in. "Okay."

"What do you need from us?" David questioned, referring to him and his wife.

"Let's gather up the Lost Boys and get them aboard the Jolly Roger." Neal commanded." The grins that lit the Lost Boy's faces did not go amiss. Cassandra wondered when it was that they turned against Neverland. "Prepare the ship to fly."

The few that were still loyal to Pan, they begrudgingly accepted their fate. It was unlikely they could prevent being taken to the ship, but perhaps Peter wanted this... if not, he would create a window in which they could escape back onto the island.

"Let's hope you have a Pegasus sail." Hook pointed out to Neal. Was that a bit of tension Cassandra sensed? "Or we're at the mercy of the trade winds."

Neal held up a coconut and Cassandra found herself looking at the evidently-confused man with concern. "Pan's shadow is in here." Wait. What?

She turned to Felix with wide eyes. 'Peter's shadow?' She mouthed. The boy shrugged, his brows furrowed and forehead creased. _When_ did that happen? _How_ did that happen?

"It'll get us home. As long as your ship holds together." Neal replied simply.

How was it possible? It shouldn't have been possible. Peter's shadow was incredibly powerful. Hang on... was it Peter's shadow she saw on the way to Skull Rock. Did someone else have a shadow running amok?

"As long as your plan holds together, she will." Captain Sass quipped. Cassandra's whirring mind paused and she snorted at the jealous pirate.

She shoved the worrying thought under a figurative rug and decided to deal with it later.

"Henry's gonna be with me the entire time. Nothing is gonna happen while you two are away." Neal promised and received a warm smile from Emma.

"You mean three." Snow corrected.

"So even Charming's wife tries to escape his company." Cassandra joked quietly to the Lost Boy next to her. The boy rolled his eyes though Cassandra could tell he was trying to hide a smile.

/

 _Tamara slammed the brakes and Cassandra's head whipped forward._

 _"Was that really necessary?" Cassandra's head lolled back onto the headrest._

 _"Just checking the seatbelts are still working." She smiled. The pair only tolerated each other, any hope of false friendship long gone._

 _"Well if it's supposed to cut into your flesh then yeah." The blonde climbed out of the car, rubbing at her sore skin. "Is this the place?" She looked up at the sign that read 'Granny's'._

 _"This is it alright." The woman studied the building. "Come on, they're waiting. And_ don't _mess this up."_

 _They made their way inside and knocked at the door. It opened to reveal Neal's beaming face and Cassandra forgot for a split second that she was deceiving and using him. Then the reality of the situation hit her again. She stepped inside, her heart feeling heavier than before she crossed the threshold._

 _Emma and Henry sat in two weathered armchairs; greeting the new arrivals with a painfully forced smile and cheerful beam respectively. Exchanging the obligatory pleasantries, they all settled around the table and tucked into the bagels Tamara had brought. Sheer awkwardness filled every second of silence and the group tried to bury it by shoving in another mouthful of bagel._

 _Henry was the only one who successfully began a conversation._

 _"So how'd you guys meet?"_

 _Tamara looked to Neal expecting him to instantly respond with mounds of enthusiasm. That didn't happen._

 _"Um... well," Tamara decided to answer Henry. "I was super late to work, rushing like crazy, guzzling my giant coffee, when this guy crashed into me." She chuckled, trying to further animate the story that was all based upon manipulation. "My coffee soaked my blouse. There was no time to change, so Neal gave me his scarf to hide the stains. And he said I could keep it or call him if I wanted to return it." She chuckled_ again _, staring into Neal's eyes. "I decided to call, and, well, we've been together ever since."_

 _"Sounds like fate." Emma smiled. Even Cassandra cringed at the insincerity. "I've gotta drop Henry off with his grandpa. Thanks for the bagel."_

 _"Damn good bagel." Cassandra mumbled into the one at her lips._

 _"It was nice meeting you both."_

 _"You, too." Tamara smiled the classic sickly-sweet-Tamara-smile._

 _"Likewise." Cassandra covered her full mouth with her hand and grinned, emphasising her food-filled hamster cheeks._

 _"Here you go, man." Neal held out a large brown book to Henry._

 _"Why don't you hold on to that?"_

 _"Okay." Neal replied, slightly taken aback. He looked from Tamara to Emma who stood by the door. "Hey, Emma... Would you be able to take Cassandra with you?"_

 _Emma looked at him blankly._

 _"Just because, well I need to talk to Tamara and it couldn't hurt for Henry and Cassandra to spend some time together."_

 _"Oh... yeah sure." She blinked. "C'mon guys." She pulled open the door and ushered the kids outside._

 _Strolling along the street with Henry beside her, Cassandra had a feeling she knew what Neal and Tamara were talking about._

 _He was telling her about magic._

 _Which meant they were one step further into their plan._

/

"Careful, would you!" Cassandra stabbed her elbows into Hook's back as her head whacked into a tree. All she got in response was a gruff chuckle. She groaned. She was flopped over the pirate's shoulder, wrists and ankles still bound, being carried in a way that was anything but gentle. The other Lost Boys were trailing after Neal in a long line.

Raising her head as much as her position would allow, Cassandra saw that they still all had their wrists bound... and they were finding her predicament particularly amusing. She scowled at Devin, whose smirk was more prominent than the others. His eyes flickered to his left, motioning behind him. Following his directions, Cassandra beamed as she noticed Felix at the back of the pack, being carried by David in the same demeaning way. Sadly, she couldn't see his miserable face- only his legs and behind.

Holding in a laugh, Cassandra raised her fingers to her lips. A chorus of chuckles erupted from the Lost Boys and Felix drooping head perked up, twisting around as far as it would go. He caught Cassandra, with her fingers still at her mouth, and quickly deduced the source of the whistle.

His lips curled into a snarl and he wriggled about, trying to loosen David's hold. Hook spun around- causing Cassandra to hit her head again- and watched the agitated boy struggle to escape.

"Felix you should be flattered," He jeered. "Nobody else would dare whistle at that behind." He finished before turning back around... flinging Cassandra against a tree trunk again.

Rubbing her sore head, Cassandra still managed to laugh- although it came out as more of a deranged giggle.

"I think you should start being a _bit_ more careful Hook." Neal warned, a hint of amusement in his tone. "We don't need another reason for Pan to come after us."

"Oh but I haven't had this much fun in a long time." He joked darkly, though he did stop, even going as far as to not jostle her too much when he re-adjusted her limp form on his shoulder.

Cassandra had grown quiet, the fluid inside her ears sloshing about making her feel nauseous. She tumbled into unconsciousness, only waking when they began scaling the gangway onto the Jolly Roger.

She was placed gently onto the deck, a warm mass beside her. Forcing her eyes open, she found it was Felix, a solemn look in his eyes. She nudged him with her elbow and gave him a smile that was supposed to appear comforting. In her current state, it was probably more disturbing than calming, but Felix understood its intent and smiled back.

"So now we wait?" He asked her.

She nodded, gazing around at the other Lost Boys who all seemed physically and mentally drained. "Now we wait."

The pair collapsed into silence, the kind that spread slowly like a heavy fog, gradually spilling over the minds of the other Lost Boys. Their quiet hums of frets and mumblings eventually stopped. The whole group observed the adults, watching them attentively as they readied the ship. Each of them looking out for any injuries, possible weaknesses to exploit. It was a habit. One they could not stop. Even Tootles, who had almost begged Emma to rescue them, was analysing the ease of their movements.

Tinker Bell, amidst her bustling duties as she assisted the others, spotted the odd behaviour. She paused, leaning against the wood of the ship.

Hook brushed past her, and Tink reached out to touch his arm.

"They're doing it." She whispered, her eyes still on the group. Hook turned to consider them. Not a sound was being made by the normally loud and obnoxious children. They were statues, only the flickering eyes indicating any life.

"Aye," He responded gruffly. "Did you expect anything else?"

Tink shook her head slightly. "Do you think they'll make a break for it?"

Hook thought for a moment. "They outnumber us. The ship is practically ready to set sail. They're capable of figuring out to fly it. In normal circumstances, I'd be surprised if they _didn't_ try and overpower us... "

"But what?"

"These are hardly normal circumstances." He smiled knowingly, and swept away before Tink could reply. Her brows furrowed. What exactly did he mean? Their leader was about to be at his most powerful, surely that would persuade them to protect their home, not flee it.

/

 _"I can't believe you nearly killed Pinocchio!" Cassandra hissed, keeping her volume low._

 _"He knew things. He would have revealed the truth about us." Tamara explained calmly._

 _"You can't go 'round killing people." Cassandra almost smirked at the irony; that was not a sentence she ever expected herself to say. "Somebody will start getting suspicious."_

 _The girl's head was whirring, flying down hundreds of corridors trying to plan for each possible outcome. Why did Tamara have to cause such a scene? Her reality was filled with constant fear that the plan would fail. Her companion's ability to keep a low profile made things all the more difficult._

 _"What was she supposed to do?"_

 _"You shut your mouth Greg." Cassandra spat at the man to her left. "He was hiding in the_ woods, _he didn't even know you were here till you went waltzing into his hideout."_

 _"And what happens when he decides to return to town?" Tamara shot._

 _Cassandra opened her mouth, ready to retort, and nothing came out. She clamped her lips together in a frown._

 _"See. You just focus on gaining Henry's trust or this whole charade is pointless." Tamara looked at her smugly. "Now we've got that sorted... the package, are you coming?"_

 _"No I'll pass." Cassandra answered, shoulders slumped. "If I'm seen by it the plan falls through."_

 _Greg and Tamara considered the girl who had just visibly deflated. She looked tired. Not just physically tired, but mentally. Over the months they had known her, her energy had plummeted. She looked as if she had not slept for years, time carving dark circles under her wide, frantic eyes._

 _Cassandra had always been cautious, wary of those around her, never being able to relax. Since she was also deceiving Greg and Tamara, there was nobody with whom she could let her guard down. Staying ahead of the game was her priority. She couldn't and wouldn't be the reason that_ his _scheme collapsed. Rest could wait until everything was over and done with._

 _"It's stable though right?" Greg asked, deciding to do what he always did; leave Cassandra to herself._

 _"Very." The woman declared, eradicating all concern for the girl from her mind. "I'll bring the package in tonight. Be ready."_

/

Cassandra's ears pricked as she heard the crunch of leaves under heavy, frantic footsteps, and the rustle of leaves as branches were smacked out of the way.

"Henry!" Emma shouted urgently as she raced up the gangway, followed by Regina and Snow. "Where is he?"

"He's over here!" Neal yelled back. The group gathered around Henry's body, that lay still on the ship deck.

All of the Lost Boys craned their necks, trying to see what was happening. The adult's conversation was nothing but incompressible murmurs from where they sat.

Cassandra's heart sunk. _No_. Her head chanted. _No, no, no_.

She prayed they didn't have it. That they had fled, unable to attain the object they'd gone to retrieve.

But she knew, there was hope on their faces when they'd returned. They weren't just rushing to say goodbye to their son (and grandson) before the preservation spell wore off, and he officially died.

Relief flooded the group's faces and they looked down at Henry. The small boy slowly pulled himself upright and hugged his mothers.

A mixture of feelings bubbled in Cassandra's chest. In a way, she too was relieved that her brother had been saved. But this slight joy, was clouded over by the knowledge and pain of what had happened to Peter. He couldn't survive without the heart. He would be weak. Most likely too weak to make it to the ship and reclaim the heart. Perhaps he would have used the last remnants of his strength, to drag himself to the camp... where he believed the Lost Boys to be waiting.

Only nobody would be there. He would be alone. Lost and confused. And he would die there. Not knowing where they all were. And knowing, for the first time, he had failed.

He had saved all of the Lost Boys from their terrible lives, they had been glad to be free of their pasts. He had taken children, so lost and broken, and given them a home. He had built a family in its own right. Peter had done a lot of bad in his life. But that in no way belittled the good. And after all he had done, he would die alone. Everything he had built... gone- like it were a figment of his imagination, a story that was finally at an end.

She couldn't let that happen.

Whilst everyone was watching Regina and Henry head below deck, Cassandra wobbled onto the balls of her feet. She pushed herself up, getting her balance proving difficult with the rope around her ankles. Dozens of eyes watched her in silence as she hopped towards the gangway. Not her most dignified moment but what could be done?

Almost at the side of the Jolly Roger, she suddenly lost her balance and toppled headfirst into a crate. The loud bang caught the attention of the crew; Hook and Emma dashed over. Cassandra was now crawling as quickly as she could to the side of the ship, the restrictions on her limbs causing her movements to appear more caterpillar-like.

"Cassandra!" Emma exclaimed as Hook grabbed her, turning her over so they could see her face. The girl had blood trickling from her hairline and a hazy look in her eyes. "What were you thinking?"

"There's nowhere to go." Hook added with twisted glee. "Pan is dead."

The injured blonde gave no reaction to their words, instead her vision came into focus as she saw Devin with a familiar look on his face. The guilty sort, but the kind where he would gladly repeat his actions.

That ass had tripped her.

A growl ripped from Cassandra's throat. "You bloody hag! You idiot!" She lunged forward at Devin, but was swiftly restrained by the two adults beside her. "He's going to die on his own. You liked him, why the _hell_ would you let that happen!"

She was pulled backwards across the deck, away from the boy whose face she wanted to claw.

"Regina!" Emma called. The woman burst up onto the deck, looking around with worry. "Sleeping spell."

Those were the last words Cassandra heard before she drifted off into a deep sleep. The violent thrashing off her head and limbs slowed to a stop. Her eyes clamped shut and she fell unconscious, unaware of Devin's reason for stopping her.

Whilst she was struggling towards the gangway, Devin had been watching the shoreline. And he had seen him.

Peter Pan was aboard the Jolly Roger.


	12. Chapter 10

**A/N: We're almost at the end of this fanfic- chapter eleven and an epilogue still to come! Part of me feels like I should have spaced these chapters out more, but at the same time I think a week of suspense is long enough ;) And I love reading your reviews, it's great to know you guys are enjoying it!**

When Cassandra arose from her forced sleep, she immediately felt the difference in the air. Looking up at the bright blue expanse, she knew Neverland was long gone. She presumed it wouldn't be much longer till they arrived in Storybrooke.

"Morning Sunshine." A chirpy voice spoke.

Cassandra frowned as Regina came into view. The woman crouched beside her and suddenly all traces of joy vanished, the mask revealing a very serious Regina.

"I just want you to know," Regina's tone was low as she disclosed the information with a sadistic smile. "Your plan- trying to distract us- didn't work. We found Pan, and I assure you we took care of him." Her eyes gleamed with triumph.

Cassandra watched her. The girl's blank expression morphing into confusion. What was Regina talking about? Peter was already dead.

"Death was far too swift an end for him." Regina added; she couldn't resist. For once, she had won- she had gotten her happy ending. She wanted Cassandra to realise that she had been defeated. She wanted her to suffer for what Henry went through. "We sent him into _Pandora's Box_ so he can pay for what he did, _forever_."

And then Cassandra was alone. And the confusion, still somewhat lingering, stretched itself thin and became a hollow sort of despair. She felt like she should be grieving; should feel the pain one was supposed to, when the person they loved was trapped in eternal torture. But she felt none of it. She tried, but her heart wasn't in it. It didn't feel as if he were gone.

It was like a dream, where she'd wake up curled in Peter's arms. He'd see the pout on her face and ask her what was wrong. She would tell him about her bizarre dream; how he died. And he would look at her and laugh. Not a mocking laugh, the kind that was spurred on by pure disbelief and amusement. The kind that comforted someone. Laughing at the fact that her mind had created a scenario so unbelievable. Because it would _never_ happen.

But it had. This was real. And there was no pout. There were no teary eyes.

A thought crossed her mind. Maybe there was something wrong with her? She shook her head- scrap that. It was clear she wasn't the sanest of people. But even the mad must feel _something_ , rather than the numbness she felt now.

The ship docked and the rope around each set of wrists and ankles fell slack. Cassandra glided behind Felix, following him off the Jolly Roger where a crowd had formed. Storybrooke residents greeted their friends that had returned from the perilous mission, relieved that they were all safe. Wendy pranced from the ship to her brothers, hugging them tightly. Something stirred within Cassandra and she quickly averted her gaze. She refused to believe she'd just experienced envy.

The Lost Boys wandered off into the town, making use of their newfound freedom. Felix, however, stood firmly at the dock, seeming quite content as he watched Henry with his family. Cassandra peered at him curiously.

"What are we doing here Felix?"

"We're waiting."

"For what?" Cassandra puzzled. Did he not realise that Peter was gone?

"Instructions." He answered with a sly grin. Cassandra just looked at him with bewilderment, not knowing how to respond. He knew something.

Henry began wandering over to the pair of them, a funny look on his face. Cassandra froze. She knew that look. It was so unlike Henry. It was dark, cunning, and incredibly smug. There was only one person who could envelop all three of those things so well into one glance.

But that wasn't possible. He was dead.

"What do you have in mind, Peter?" Felix wondered. Cassandra shot him a look. Of course he knew, Felix was always the first to know everything about Peter's plans.

"I swear to god," Cassandra huffed. "When you get your body back I'm going to kill you."

Henry smirked, an expression that was so bizarre on the young boy's face. "Not the most romantic way to celebrate our reunion, but then again, you were never the sappy type."

"Not only are you a child, you're my _brother_!" She stopped herself from gagging. "I'm not talking to you if you're going to keep weirding me out."

"Pan. If you don't mind?" Felix cut in. Henry dragged his eyes to his Second-In-Commamd. "What's the next step?" Cassandra had never been more grateful for Felix's ability to get back onto business.

"You need to be punished." He smiled sweetly. The pair of them frowned. Did they hear him right? "Hey, Mom, Dad! What about Felix, he's still free." He called.

"What, am I just a block of wood?" Cassandra muttered.

"What're you doing?" Felix hissed.

"They need to trust me." Henry whispered.

"Henry's right. We can't let Felix just walk away free." Regina confirmed. "Cassandra too."

"Oh no, can't have a Lost Boy on the loose." Cassandra said in mock terror. "Especially when you just let all the others wander free."

"It's different." Regina retorted. "You and Felix, you were close to Pan. We can't trust you."

"You can't hurt her! She's my sister." Henry pleaded.

"She also helped Pan when he tried to kill you. And they almost succeeded, we won't risk your safety again." Regina declared, looking to the others for confirmation.

"I mean," Emma hesitated. "Henry's right, she is family. But _..._ we can't chance it. Not after everything that's just happened. Not yet." She concluded and gave Henry an apologetic smile. "Sorry kid."

"Don't worry." David reassured. "We've got plenty cell space for these guys."

"Two cells Charming, you have two." Cassandra quipped as she and Felix were dragged off. "What happens if there's a crime, huh, you ain't gonna have any room for them."

"Then you and Felix can share." David forced a smile, trying to get the girl to shut up.

"Oh you don't want that, that'd be much too dangerous. Two geniuses in such close proximity; the whole of Storybrooke would implode."

They trudged a bit further.

"Although," Cassandra mused. "If you're there, I suppose your idiocy could cancel out our 'genius waves'."

David sighed. Felix suppressed a chuckle.

/

"Felix, I never thought I'd say this when in the pleasure of your company... but I am well and truly bored."

The boy observed Cassandra in amusement as she slowly collapsed from her handstand. The heap groaned.

"It's been half an hour, calm your pretty self."

Ignoring the tongue-in-cheek compliment, Cassandra rolled onto her back. "How can you just sit there?" Her head flopped to the side and she scrutinized the relaxed figure in the other cell. He hadn't moved at all. Not even to wipe the hair from his eyes.

"Because not everyone has to be as impatient as you."

Cassandra heaved her body off the floor and sat up straight, crossing her legs. "So how'd he do it?" She wondered eagerly, now confident there was nobody in the station eavesdropping.

"While you were busy making a fool of yourself, Pan snuck onto the ship, through the window of the cabin the boy was staying in. The Evil Queen cast a protection spell on his heart, so the only option was for Pan to switch bodies... right before Rumpelstiltskin trapped his body in Pandora's Box."

"So that's why Devin..." Cassandra trailed off as Felix nodded. "Dammit. Now I've got one less reason to hate him."

She was quiet for a moment.

"I know…" She revealed. Felix tensed. "That Emma's not an evil hag who used magic to send me to another realm." She rolled her eyes, almost laughing at how stupid it now sounded. The idea that she only figured it out not long ago was comical. "I don't know _how_ he did it. But I know it was all him... Peter and his grandest game of all."

Felix's body sagged with relief. _She doesn't know._

He quickly recovered and relaxed into his usual self, full of witty remarks.

"Took you long enough." He sat back and cracked a smile. "I doubt even Prince Charming would have been fooled for that long."

Cassandra pouted. "I wouldn't go _that_ far."

Sniggering, Felix tilted his head. "What gave it away then?"

"I don't know." She said with a shrug. "Maybe I just wasn't getting any psychopath vibes from her. Henry was pretty convincing too-"

Felix slid off the bed and scooted towards the bars that separated them. "Convincing how?"

The boy could see the shock on her face. Surprised by the sudden interest. In all honesty, Felix wasn't quite sure either. He supposed it must have been down to his involvement in the plan to obtain Henry's heart. Felix had been there since the beginning. If Cassandra had been oblivious to the truth of her past the whole time she was in Neverland, how did that boy manage to convince her within a few days.

"He... he laid it all out. And the whole thing sounded ridiculous. But I didn't want to believe it. That tale, Felix, my life grew around it. Any doubts became harder and harder to acknowledge as time passed. Because if they were true, it would mean that I'd been played _all that time_... which... I was."

Felix watched as she traced patterns in the dust on the floor by her feet.

"You forgave him though."

She nodded, not meeting his eyes. "It had gotten to the point where I couldn't survive without him. I _need him_ Felix. It's pathetic but it's true."

"Andie." His fingers curled around the bars, only she could appeal to his softer side. "He does love you. That part was real, I promise."

Raising her head, she gave him a watery smile.

"Crying doesn't suit you." He scrunched up his nose in disgust.

"Sorry." She dabbed the corners of her eyes with bottom of her hand. "It's been a long day."

"A long life."

"Yeah." She let out a long shaky breath. "A long life indeed."

/

 _"We found Regina, with Mendell. He's coming your way." David's voice through the radio finished. Static crackled and Emma looked to Neal._

 _"Greg Mendell." She said, shocked. She had been so sure it was_ her.

 _"So I was right. It wasn't Tamara." Neal replied._

 _Emma crashed to the floor._

 _"Actually... it was." Neal's eyes shot to Tamara who chucked a metal pipe onto the floor. She spotted Emma's gun on the floor. Stepping over the body, Tamara picked up the gun and aimed it at Neal. "I just had some help."_

 _"What are you doing, Tamara?"_

 _"I have to keep magic out of this world, Neal. It doesn't belong here. You more than anyone should understand that. It drags people away from their families. It's a poison."_

 _"You've been lying to me. How long have you been lying to me?"_

 _"This is more important than any..."_

 _"How long?!" Neal yelled. He needed to know._

 _"Since the beginning. Since I spilled coffee on you."_

 _"It wasn't an accident. You planned it all. None of it was real." He could feel a hole growing in his chest, every memory of Tamara falling down it and making the void even bigger._

 _"Neal, you're a good man-"_

 _"Did Cassandra know? Did you drag your daughter into this too!"_

 _"She's not my daughter Neal."_

 _"So you lied about that too?" He couldn't believe it. The better part of a year. And it had all been a lie._

 _"She's yours."_

 _Neal looked at her, bewildered. "What?"_

 _"Ask her." She pointed behind her to an unconscious Emma. "Eleven years ago, she had_ twins _."_

 _"Cassandra's older than Henry." Neal pointed out. Did she really think he was stupid enough to fall for that?_

 _"Because of_ magic _." She spat out the word with disgust. "It tore her away from the life she could have had."_

 _Neal blinked, not entirely sure if he was convinced yet. "Does she know?"_

 _"She knows who you are. Who Emma and Henry are. She doesn't know about me trying to destroy magic."_

 _"Why didn't she say anything!"_

 _"You can ask her yourself, if you stay out of my way."_

 _"I can't let you leave here, Tamara." He began pacing forwards._

 _"Neal, please don't make me." She warned. Neal took no notice and the next thing he heard was a gunshot; the next thing he felt was a pain in his chest and he fell to the floor. "I'm sorry Neal."_

 _"You should be." Emma's voice rang out as she kicked the gun from Tamara's hand. The pair swung and grabbed at the other. Emma picked up Tamara when she noticed the gun several feet away. She threw the woman onto the ground with a thud and raced to the weapon. She pointed it towards Tamara. "It's over."_

 _"No, it's not." Lying on the floor, Tamara threw a magic bean. It skidded across the dusty wood and suddenly a giant portal appeared where Emma stood. The blonde leapt up and grabbed onto one of the pipes that clung to the wall. The metal however, wasn't strong enough, and slowly bent over, lowering Emma towards the portal._

 _"Bye." Tamara said, fleeing now that Emma was unable to chase her._

/

"Do you think they'll be okay?"

"Course they will. Not like anything can happen to them while they're locked up." Devin answered.

Darrel nodded, unconvinced, and watched the other Lost Boys playing about in the sand.

"Y'know what Tootles said?" Devin muttered. "Just like home, he said. Poor kid, it's just the beach that's the same. Even then, there aren't any mermaids."

"It might not be such a bad place, Storybrooke. Why can't you give it a chance?" Darrel wondered, breathing in the salty air. He hadn't minded leaving Neverland, for similar reasons to all the others that wanted to leave. But now that he had left, he found himself missing Neverland. Unfortunately, he and Devin appeared to be the only one.

"I just get the feeling we won't be sticking around for much longer."

The red-head peered at him. "Why's that?"

Devin ignored his question and switched the topic to another of his concerns. "Did you think there was something up with Andie?"

"Considering she was screaming when she couldn't get off that ship, I'd say yeah."

"No, I mean. Before that. Before Skull Rock."

Darrel furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "I don't think so, I mean, she was normal Andie when I last saw her- playing the drums."

Now it was Devin's turn to look baffled. Darrel was supposed to be one of her closest friends, if not the closest (he didn't quite know where Felix was on the scale). So how come Darrel hadn't seen any of the signs: the false smiles; the sudden lapses into thoughtful silence; and the vacant, hopeless expressions when she thought no one was looking.

He had deduced that Pan must have been part of the reason for her change, otherwise he would have sorted it. Pan would never let her odd behaviour go amiss. He hated, with a fierce passion, when Andie was upset.

"Darrel. I want you to think _really_ hard. Think back to when Andie had that long conversation with Henry." Devin waited until the boy nodded. "Now, after that, don't you think she seemed a little off. Quieter than usual. She kept disappearing from camp too."

Devin watched and waited whilst Darrel tried to remember. Darrel traced back through his memories. He vaguely recalled wondering where Andie was, though at the time he had dismissed it; he had presumed she was helping Pan with the game now that it was in its final phase. Rewinding further, he saw her face- sad and subdued. Again, he had dismissed it because as quickly as the expression appeared, it had vanished. Darrel thought he had been imagining things. He thought maybe she was just tired. He didn't link together all the signs- that something was wrong.

His head darted upwards. "Did you figure it out?"

Devin shook his head. "She didn't want any help from me. I tried to ask, but she shut me out."

"What're we going to do?" He queried, voice full of worry.

"We," Devin said, full of determination. "Are going to save our friend."

/

 _Cassandra walked into Emma and Mary-Margaret's apartment with Henry by her side._

 _"Is it true?" Cassandra paused and looked to the woman in confusion. Emma watched her, eyes glossed over._

 _"What?" She questioned softly._

 _"Tamara said that you were my daughter. That Neal, was your father."_

 _Everyone in the apartment jolted their heads towards the two blondes. Cassandra glanced down to her feet, watching her toes wriggle beneath the fabric of the shoes._

 _"Answer me." Emma spoke slowly, as if she was starting to get angry._

 _Cassandra nodded sheepishly. You could practically hear the gasps from the onlookers. "It's true."_

 _"How? Dunno if you noticed, but you're way older than you should be."_

 _"I don't remember." She shrugged._

 _"Do you have_ any _proof, that you're who you say you are?" Cassandra was still for a moment then shook her head. Emma sighed. "We'll just have to take you to Gold then... after we've told him about Neal."_

 _"What about Dad?" Henry blurted._

 _Grief washed over Emma's face. "Henry," She crouched in front of him, looking him in the eyes. "Tamara shot Neal… he's dead. I'm sorry." Trying to hold herself together for the sake of her son, Emma drew Henry into a hug._

 _Cassandra froze in shock. Tamara...killed Neal? Neal was gone?_

 _She had wanted her parents to pay for what they did to her for so long. Now that it had happened… why didn't she feel happy about it?_

/

Cassandra and Felix both turned as they heard the squeak of door hinges. Emma appeared, staring at the pair of them from the other side of the bars.

"What's the matter with Henry?"

"He still has his heart." Felix drawled with a cruel smile.

Emma shot the boy a glare. "I'll ask one more time." She turned to Cassandra. "What have you done to my son?"

"What do you mean?" The girl questioned.

"He's different. He's been acting strangely."

"Ah." Cassandra spoke. Emma grabbed the bars, eyes boring into her daughter's face. "It's just as I feared Felix... a severe case." The girl faced Emma with a serious expression. "I recommend you look under the 'Teenage Rebellion' section of 'A Parent's Guide to Puberty."

As Emma registered that the girl was joking, Cassandra snorted at the look on her face.

"Must you behave like such a child?" Felix muttered.

"Come on I saw you smile."

"This is unbelievable." Emma kicked her foot against the cell door. "Why can't you just help me, what do you have to gain?"

"What do we have to lose?" Cassandra beamed.

"A second chance." Emma answered without missing a beat. "Not everyone gets one, but you are and you're wasting it. I mean were you _ever_ wanting to help us? First you gave us that stupid fake locket and then-"

"Sorry what?" Cassandra's interest was piqued.

"The locket you gave us... it was a fake." Emma said slowly, not knowing what it was that had Cassandra confused. "We tried to use a tracking spell on it; nothing happened. Was it- what, some sort of test?"

"I thought you... you said you didn't use it?"

"I thought it best not to tell you." Emma said firmly. "I didn't know what your plan was."

Cassandra dove to the bars dividing her and Felix. "Is it true? Was the locket a fake?" Felix glanced up at her. He nodded.

"So he was testing me, even then... he didn't trust me." She whispered to herself. She raised her voice. "Is this still the fake?" She pulled out the locket from under her shirt.

"He switched them back as soon as you gave it to him. He 'fixed the chain', remember?"

She did. She'd had no clue he changed them either.

"Cassandra please." Emma begged, seeing her opportunity. "Henry believed in you. And I really _really_ want to too."

"Peter is as good as dead in that box. And it's because Henry still lives."

Emma thought for a long moment. She knew that this was her last chance to try and get through to the girl. And dammit, she would make it count.

"Wendy said that Pan was dying-" Emma thought aloud, her brain spinning as it tried to realise something, something important, something they had all missed. "-that Henry's heart was the only thing that could save him... it would make him immortal." The woman gasped as it clicked.

"Yes. Henry didn't deserve to die. I'll admit that. But I couldn't lose Peter. There's more to him than what you've seen."

"Cassandra, what if Pan wasn't going to die?"

The girl's face scrunched up. "He was going to die. There was a prophecy, and I saw the hourglass; Peter didn't lie to me."

"No, but what if he didn't tell the entire truth? Hear me out." When Cassandra didn't say anything, Emma continued. "With Henry's heart. Pan would be immortal. That suggests that without it, he wouldn't be-"

"Thank you for stating the obvious." Cassandra began to turn away.

"But it doesn't mean he was going to die!" Emma rushed. Cassandra paused, and looked to Emma curiously.

"... What?"

"Neverland's magic was running out, he said. Maybe it was. Neverland's ability to keep its inhabitants young. If it disappeared, Pan wouldn't die-"

"He would age." Cassandra finally understood. It wasn't that Peter didn't want to die. He didn't want to grow up. Though in a sense, ageing did equate to dying. That must have been why her secret shook him so much. He had this whole game in place to keep himself young, and yet she dismissed youth so easily...

"Don't you see? Saving Henry, it wouldn't kill Pan."

A tune sounded and Emma retrieved her phone from her jacket. She held it up to her ear.

"David?" She was quiet for a minute and her eyes widened. "What?" She waited while he spoke. "Yeah, I'll meet you at Gold's." She hung up and stuffed the object back in her pocket. "Mother Superior is dead. Pan's shadow killed her. Now will you tell me how the hell he's controlling it from inside that box?"

Cassandra was aching: her body; her mind; her heart. When had things become so complicated? Why couldn't she go back to the times when it was simpler; when her world was steeped in blissful ignorance. If she helped Emma, Henry would live and so would Peter. If she didn't, Peter would never stop his tricks and schemes. His cunning nature was a part of him, but the brutality... that had to stop. How many had died at his hands? She couldn't let him ruin himself anymore. His heart was growing darker and darker and soon there would be no room for compassion, no space for love.

Overly aware of Felix watching her, Cassandra made up her mind.

"If I help you... you promise not to hurt him?" She whimpered; Emma seemed to be more sympathetic towards sad children. The woman nodded.

"I promise."

"That boy you've been taking with you around Storybrooke," Felix couldn't believe what he was seeing. He made no sound as Cassandra sold out his leader, for he was completely and utterly gobsmacked. "It's not Henry."

She would save him. As he had saved her so many times. He was her saviour. Now it was time for her to be his.

"It's Peter."

/

Emma and Cassandra raced towards the small group outside Gold's shop.

"Gold! We need to open the box. Right now."

"Miss Swan. What the hell do you think you're doing letting her out of her cell?" He pointed at the girl.

"Emma, he won't listen to us." Mary-Margaret explained. "He thinks it's too dangerous.

"But that's the thing, it's not." The Charmings, Belle and Rumpel looked at the frantic woman curiously. "Tell them."

Cassandra squirmed as everyone's eyes shifted to her. She sighed, they wouldn't believe her. It was surprising that Emma did. "Peter switched bodies with Henry before you put him in the box."

"But that means... Henry's trapped in there!" Snow fretted.

"And we're supposed to trust you, why exactly?" Gold shut off Mary-Margaret's worrying. "You would never go against Pan."

"Three things: I've discovered that Peter isn't _actually_ going to die without Henry's heart;" She checked the items off on her fingers. "Henry was very, very, _very_ slightly starting to grow on me; and," She grimaced. "I can't have Peter flirting with me again in my brother's body."

"I know something's been up with Henry. This is the reason." Emma implored. "Please, open the box."

"And what if she's lying?" Gold quizzed. "We let Pan out. He'll destroy the whole of Storybrooke."

"Then we'll take it outside of town. No magic. He can't do anything."

Gold thought about it for a moment. "And if it is Pan?"

"Then he's been controlling the shadow from inside that thing. Endangering the life of my son. We'll make sure Henry's safe from Pan forever, we'll kill him."

Cassandra gaped at Emma. She thought they were on the same side- she scoffed at herself. What an absurd notion. It took longer to fully trust someone. Cassandra knew that better than most.

"Very well." Gold declared. "But you put _her_ back where she belongs. If Pan _is_ in there, I'm not having her anywhere near him."

Emma nodded. "Sorry." She apologised to Cassandra. Her daughter nodded. She'd gotten further than she thought with her assistance. When they found Henry in the box, they would let her out of that soul-sucking cell. Hopefully.

Still conscious of the urgency of the situation, the pair ran back to the station. Immediately, Cassandra complied and stepped into her cell; Emma locked the door behind her.

"Thank you." Emma walked away.

"Emma!" Cassandra called. The woman halted, back still facing her. "I was wondering... Peter's map. Who are you?"

The woman turned on the spot and smiled although it didn't meet her eyes. "An orphan." That was all Emma left her with before dashing from the building.

Cassandra stood watching where Emma had been. An orphan. So perhaps her speech to the Lost Boys was sincerer than she thought. She dragged herself to the bed against the wall and collapsed onto it.

"Why'd you do it?" Felix's voice was hoarse. She turned to look at him. He looked lost and defeated.

"I couldn't let him destroy himself. You've known him longer than I have. Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

Felix nodded sadly. "I thought you were making him better."

"All I was, was a short-term fix. The island was slowly draining the good from all of us; Peter was almost out. Away from Neverland, there's a chance he can be the Peter we know he can be."

"Can I ask you something?" Felix had never seemed so vulnerable.

"I presume you will regardless." She said with a smile, though it felt false.

"What was your secret?"

"So Peter really didn't tell you?"

"I thought he would. But no. Didn't even give me a hint."

"Was it planned? Sending me to Echo Cave?"

Felix looked at her apologetically. "Yeah. He needed to know you weren't turning on him."

Cassandra bit her lip. She did have her suspicions. All of a sudden, she chuckled humourlessly.

"What is it?" He asked.

"My secret had nothing to do with that. I said that I wanted to grow up." Her laugh grew louder despite the sad shine in her eyes. "He got more than he bargained for with that sneaky scheme."

Quietly, Felix mumbled. "He got more than he bargained for with you full-stop."

/

 _Tamara trudged through the woods, where she found Greg, burying the remains of his late father._

 _"Sorry about your father."_

 _"Me, too."_

 _The pair were silent for a moment. Eventually, Tamara retrieved a brown diamond from a small pouch._

 _"Do the folks back at the Home Office know anything about it?" Greg asked._

 _"Yeah. They did. And you're never gonna believe what it does."_

 _As she explained the purpose of the jewel, Greg's eyes widened._

 _"What are we supposed to do with it?" His eyes looked like they were about to fall from their sockets._

 _"They want us to move to the next phase." She revealed._

 _"Already?" So soon? They'd never completed a mission so quickly._

 _"Yeah. There's only one way to get what we all want. We have to blow Storybrooke off the map."_

 _"And they don't know Cassandra's on our side, do they?"_

 _"No. They know about her parent's, but as far as they're concerned, Cassandra doesn't have a clue about the plan."_

 _"So we're gonna have to kidnap her as well as the boy."_

 _Tamara nodded. "She's not stupid, she'll stick with him so our job's a whole lot easier."_

 _"Good. And she knows where the Home Office is?"_

 _"Greg. Don't worry. She's been through portals before, she knows how they work. She'll get us there safely."_

 _Greg heard the conviction in her tone. Tamara however, had an itch in the back of her mind. She had complete faith in the cause... but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong._

/

Two figures walked through the cemetery. The first, a dark-haired woman, had her eyes set on the building looming in front of them. The second, a small boy, hunched in on himself nervously, eyes constantly searching his surroundings.

Regina unlocked the door to her vault, quickly ushering Henry inside. Sealing the door behind them, they made their way downstairs.

"Promise you won't touch anything?" The mother asked, she knew how curious her son could be.

"I promise." The child swore. The smile that lit his face, seeming so innocent, did not belong to Henry Mills. It was the complacent smile of a boy who had lived for a _very_ long time; the smile of a boy who knew when he had won.

Discreetly scanning the shelves for the potion he needed, the boy paced in silence. Sometime later, his eyes landed on what he had been searching for. It sat in the nook above Regina's shoulder.

"What is it?" She asked, having noticed he was standing very still all of a sudden.

Peter Pan had always been good at thinking on his feet. "I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you protecting me here."

"Oh, Henry." Regina beamed, touched by his sentiment. "When all this is over, I promise I'm finally going to be the mother you always wanted me to be." She declared, hugging her son tightly.

Pan reached around the woman with one hand, gripping the bottle. He pulled it from the shelf.

"I love you." Regina said as she pulled back. Pan lifted the bottle and removed the lid. A powdery substance filled the air above it, where it was inhaled by Regina. Immediately, she fell to the floor, smacking the concrete.

"I know. That's why this was so easy." Not giving the sleeping woman another thought, he began scouring the room for what he _really_ went there for. He rummaged through boxes and chests and at last, he found it. The scroll. The scroll to cast the same curse that had started it all.

Dread filled Peter when the realisation hit him. He needed the heart of the thing he loved most. And he needed to crush it.

Cassie.

He placed his hand on his chest, picturing her soothing heartbeat. It never failed to comfort him. He couldn't do that. He had realised years ago...

He would rather die than lose her.

/

It was getting dark when the pair of prisoners had their next visitor.

"Pan." Felix sprung to his feet.

"Hello Felix." He greeted, still in Henry's body. "Sorry to interrupt your party, but I figured you'd appreciate some fresh air."

Swiftly, Peter moved to the door and got to work on picking the lock. Cassandra stood up and watched him. Did he know what she had done?

"What's the plan?" She chirped.

Peter's head shot up and he glared at her. Cassandra flinched. Okay maybe he did know...

Creaking loudly, the heavy door swung open. Felix, sensing the tension, glided from the cell without a word.

"Let's go." The boy commanded and began marching away. Cassandra's heart dropped in her chest.

"But Peter... " Felix frowned. "What about Andie?"

Peter spun around impatiently. "Who?"

The two Lost Boys looked at him in confusion, was he really that upset with her? Felix pointed.

Peter's gaze flickered to her. When their eyes met, Cassandra felt ice spread through her skin: there was no recognition in his eyes. He didn't know her.

 _Oh Peter..._

"Felix, I don't have time for every silly little friend you make. You've known her, what, a day?"

Before Felix could protest, Peter was gone. He looked to the girl still locked in her cell. A mixture of perplexity and confliction on his face. Cassandra's gaze was glued to the floor. Felix started towards her, but stopped himself. He knew what she would want him to do. Something was wrong. Somebody needed to watch over Pan.

He fled the scene, catching up with his friend.

Meanwhile, Cassandra sunk to the floor, eyes still glossed over.

 _Oh Peter._ She sighed. _What have you done?_

She sat in that cell for a long, long time... wondering what price he would have to pay, and whether he was ready to pay it.


	13. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here it is! At last! I hope you guys enjoy and I apologise for any feels you may experience.**

 **As for sequels, intially I didn't want to weaken the ending- some things are better left untouched. However, I've come up with possible ideas, so if they lead somewhere I would definitely love to write a sequel. (I've also become too attached to these characters to let them go just yet).**

"They should really get some better security." Darrel huffed.

"And by better you mean?"

"Any security at all." Having just waltzed into the police station without any difficulty, the two boys grinned at each other. They caught sight of the cells; one of the doors was wide open. The other, however, was still locked and its occupant was slouched at the base of the door with her face buried in her hands.

"Andie?" Darrel asked softly.

"Where's Felix?" Devin queried. If he had been able to break himself out, Felix would have made sure she got out too. So why was she still here?

The girl lifted her head, shoving matted hair from her face. She didn't dare try remove the tangles, knowing all too well her hand would get stuck. She frowned. "Why are you here?"

"We came to get you out." Darrel started picking the lock. "Wasn't too hard, they don't even have any guards posted." He cracked a smile but he couldn't help but notice how awful she looked: red eyes; her pale skin stretched thinly across her cheekbones and jaw; her hair a wild mess, the curls squashed and reaching out in all directions.

"I assume they're all a bit busy at the moment." She muttered. "Where are the others?"

"Persuading that 'Granny' lady to give them a couple rooms in exchange for a couple squirrels. Trying to at least." Devin chuckled. "They want to see what its like to sleep indoors; none of them can remember. Personally, I think it would be a bit claustrophobic- trapped by walls and a roof."

"How did you know I was here?" She switched the conversation. She'd never been too good at small talk, whether or not she realised that it wasn't by choice. It's why she got on so well with Felix.

"Someone saw you and Felix getting dragged off by that Prince Charming fellow." Darrel explained. "He trailed you, saw you go into the Police station, then came and told all of us. Hang on, I think it was William. Yeah, it was. Because he was pretty darn smug about it, saying how he never would have gotten caught like that. The idiot, you're far better at everything than him." Darrel scoffed. "I tried to tell him, there had to be a reason you were here."

"But still you came to free me?"

"We figured we might as well make sure. If you did indeed _want_ to be here, well then you'd tell us to bugger off." Darrel watched to see if he'd get a smile from her. He did not.

"So Andie," Devin wondered. "If both you and Felix were locked up, how come he isn't here?"

Cassandra stood up, brushing the dust off her knees. "Peter took him." She said simply.

The boys looked at her, bewildered.

"He's not in the box." She elaborated. "He switched bodies with Henry. He's free."

Darrel paused for a moment, letting the information sink in. His hands then continued their work on the lock. "Two questions. Why don't you sound happy about it; and why didn't he let you out too?" He asked, perplexed. The lock clicked and he heaved the door open. They looked to Cassandra, waiting for an answer.

She stepped from the cell, a solemn look in her eyes. "Peter doesn't know who I am."

/

A cool breeze fluttered over Cassandra's skin as she emerged from the station. It felt wrong. As if the town itself could sense the danger looming.

"Where to?" Darrel raised his eyebrows.

"We have to find Peter." She announced. "Before he does something he can't take back."

"You're the only one who's been here before. Any idea where to start?" Devin quizzed.

Cassandra sighed. "Not a clue."

"Cassandra!" A voice called. The trio turned to see Emma running towards them. The two boys tensed, ready to run.

Cassandra put a hand on each of their arms. "Wait, it's okay."

The woman reached them at last, breathing heavily. "You were right, they switched."

Paying no attention to the shock on the boys' faces, Cassandra waved her hands, motioning to her surroundings. "Does this mean I can be officially released now?"

Emma didn't smile. There was worry in her eyes. "Cassandra. Pan, he took the curse. He's going to cast it on Storybrooke."

"What would that do?" Dread began to fill her.

"We'd all forget who we are. We'd become Pan's slaves."

"Pan wouldn't do that to _us_ \- why should we be bothered?" Devin barked.

Emma blinked. "If you Lost Boys care about each other, then you should. Because to cast the curse he has to crush the heart of the thing he loves most."

Everyone looked to Cassandra. She gulped as it hit her. "He has to kill me?"

The woman nodded. "I needed to make sure he hadn't gotten to you yet. I want you to come with me to Gold's shop. We can protect you."

"Emma this doesn't make any sense." Cassandra stopped her. "Peter came by not long ago. He took Felix and left; he didn't even recognise me."

The woman was silent for a moment, deep in thought. Even this short break from searching for Peter made Cassandra fidget impatiently. Time seemed to stretch out, becoming thin and distorted, making Cassandra wobble. She could feel the bad news before it came.

"Oh my god." Emma gasped. She had figured out the mystery she had been puzzling over. "Something else was missing from Regina's vault." Her eyes widened. Gold had brushed off its significance, but Emma knew better. "A memory potion."

Whilst Cassandra had never had much experience with memory potions, she knew they were never good.

"So he did that, why exactly?" Darrel cut in. "It won't help him if he can't remember whose heart he needs."

"Well," Emma thought aloud. "If he can't remember who she is... he can't love her, I'm assuming. I can't think of any other reason, he can cast the curse without losing her."

"So whose heart is he gonna use?" Devin voiced the question they'd all been thinking.

Cassandra's heart thudded. "Felix!" She gasped. "He took Felix."

Panic crossed Emma's face. "How long ago was this?"

"Maybe half an hour ago, I can't be sure."

"Then it's too late." She turned and looked in the direction of the woods.

"What! It can't be, he can't kill him." She shook her head vigorously and began sprinting towards where Emma was looking.

"Cassandra!" Emma's voice was accompanied by three sets of footsteps. Cassandra was pulled roughly to a halt as a pair of outreached hands grabbed a hold of her.

"Felix!" She screamed, trying to wriggle from the arms locked around her waist. She turned to see Devin restraining her.

"Let go of me!" She growled, thrashing her legs.

"He'll already have cast the curse." Emma moved in front of her and gripped her shoulders. "I'm sorry. Felix is gone."

Cassandra's body became limp. He couldn't be dead. Peter wouldn't have killed him. They were friends. She could still picture Felix's face, walking out of that cell: relieved to be reunited with his leader; confused as to why Peter was being so distant with her. She wondered if he worked it out in the end, that it was the only way he could get what he wanted without killing her.

What had been the last thought to cross his mind? Felix had always been brave and loyal- complete faith in Peter. Did that mean he accepted his fate? Or did he feel scared or betrayed? Cassandra knew one thing: she would much rather have died in his place, rather than have his blood on her hands.

"Listen, the best thing we can do is get to Gold's. We can switch their bodies back, and undo the curse."

"But it won't bring Felix back?" She whispered.

The corners of Emma's lips turned down. "No. But it'll put Pan back in his own body. Henry will be fine. And from there, we can make sure Pan doesn't hurt anyone again."

"You're not going to hurt him, are you?"

Emma shook her head. "I made a promise, kid. And I meant it."

The mother and daughter smiled at each other. Cassandra found herself beginning to like the woman, something she never thought possible.

/

The tinkling of a bell sounded as Emma and Cassandra entered the shop. It felt odd, walking into territory where she was surrounded by people who loathed her, completely vulnerable. She had no weapons. No escape plan. Not even any Lost Boys by her side.

She'd been reluctant to go with Emma. She felt as if she needed to find Felix. She couldn't leave him on his own. Devin and Darrel had offered to retrieve his body, where they could then give him a proper send-off. After slight hesitation, Cassandra admitted it was the best option. They couldn't waste any time and she wanted to speak to Peter as soon as he awoke in his own body.

Shuffling into the back room, everyone's eyes flickered to her. She forced a smile and hovered in the doorway.

Emma explained the situation to the group and they frowned at the unfortunate turn of events- that they hadn't been able to stop Pan in time. After they protested that Cassandra had no reason to be there if the curse had already been cast, Emma argued against them. She reasoned that Cassandra had helped them by telling them it was Pan in Henry's body; she was on their side. She also mentioned that when Pan woke up, Cassandra was their best chance of stopping him.

The group begrudgingly nodded, still wary of the new arrival.

"Andie." Cassandra's heart clenched as she saw Peter beaming at her. Quickly her mind corrected her, it was Henry. Just Henry.

"Hey Henry." She paced gingerly towards him. Overly aware of all those watching her, Regina particularly, she spoke quietly. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." The boy smiled. "You wanted to save him, I get that. I'm just glad you're here."

Cassandra's eyes bulged from her head. Did he just... forgive her? After what she did? He was most affected by all that had happened. She almost chuckled. That kid was certainly something.

Henry patted beside him on the seat and cautiously, she sat down. Emma and Snow began conversing over a mobile made of glass unicorns. Rumpel and Regina were silent. Rumpel was tensed, still staring at her. Cassandra couldn't see Regina as she was perched on Henry's other side, but she assumed she would be acting in a similar way.

Not much later, David burst into the room.

"She's back." He panted. "The Blue Fairy. She gave us the wand."

Cassandra covered her groan with a cough. Fantastic. The Blue Fairy. If she had to see that sickly, condescending smile ever again she was going to rip her hair out.

Emma turned to Gold. "Do we need anything else?"

"Only one more item." He opened the dark wooden cabinet behind him, removing a small object from its interior.

"What is that?" Snow's soft voice asked.

"This is one of the only useful things that I managed to pilfer from Greg and Tamara before they left for Neverland." Cassandra raised her eyebrows, impressed by his resourcefulness. Still, she was confused. Why did he need it? "It renders anyone with magic utterly powerless."

"I haven't forgotten about all that, by the way." Regina said glumly. Cassandra winced, the woman probably blamed her for that too.

Rumpel walked slowly towards them. "Let me see your wrist, Henry." Henry held out his hand and Rumpel shoved the cuff onto his arm. "I want to make sure that when my dear childhood friend awakes, that he is weakened. This will lock his powers."

Cassandra frowned. Was he an actual idiot? She thought for a moment that he was smarter than that.

Henry wondered what the next plan of action was and Rumpel explained exactly what was going to happen. Regina also told him what to do, in her commanding-mother tone. Then Henry, being Henry, sighed and gave a soppy apology.

"I gave my heart to Pan. I thought I was being a hero." He spoke steadily whilst everyone seemed to hang off his words. "I'm sorry."

"You're not the one who needs to be sorry." David said. He glanced at Cassandra before looking back to Henry. "Pan does."

"It's time." Cassandra and Regina moved away, allowing Henry to lie down. Rumpel stood over him, the wand hovering over Henry's face. "Keep your eyes on the wand."

Everyone watched as Rumpel cast the spell and Henry's eyes drifted shut. Abruptly, Peter's body started convulsing. Cassandra's limbs wanted to reach out and soothe him. It seemed like he was in a lot of pain and seeing her Peter like that, even if it wasn't really Peter, it still hurt.

"What's happening?" Emma panicked.

"Henry's spirit is leaving Pan's body." The shaking continued and gradually the body grew still.

"It worked." Regina broke the silence. The tension in the room lifted and everyone sighed in relief.

"Let's go find our son." Emma, Regina, Snow and David rushed from the room. Belle and Neal began to follow them, but they paused when they saw that neither Rumpel nor Cassandra had budged.

"You're not coming?" The brunette asked. Belle was probably one of Storybrooke's residents that Cassandra liked the most. She went against what everyone else said, and let her heart love a monster. She saw good where no one else did. Whether it existed within Rumpelstiltskin, Cassandra couldn't say. But she did know that she was the same with Peter. His heart was mainly clouded by darkness, but she could still feel that flicker of light within, that was fighting to stay alive.

"No, no. I think not. Pan and I have, uh... some unfinished business."

"And you?" Cassandra was startled by Belle's question. She didn't think the woman would be bothered about her.

She shook her head. "I want to be here when he wakes up."

The woman smiled in understanding and trailed through the doorway. Neal hovered for a moment.

"Why is it that Pan keeps getting involved with our family?" He asked, not expecting an answer. "He betrayed you." He pointed to Rumpel. "He tried to trap me on his island. I'm pretty sure he lied to you for damn long time." He motioned to Cassandra- she winced. "And then he goes and tries to kill my son." He smiled wryly.

"Coincidence?" Cassandra replied at the same time Rumpel said-

"Fate?"

Neal scoffed and left the room.

Cassandra blinked and looked at Rumpel. "You think it was _destiny_ for Peter to be entangled in our lives?" She asked mockingly.

"You're telling me you don't?" He quipped. "You know of the prophecy- that he needed Henry's heart. I had my own prophecy. This was always going to happen, whether we like it or not. You were always going to grow up in another land, just as Henry grew up away from his mother."

Cassandra considered that for a moment. Fate had always seemed like it belonged in a fairy-tale. Then again, the fairy-tales were real. But she still couldn't see her life as a fairy-tale. It had the tragedy. It had the knight in shining armour, if Peter could be classed as one. But there had never been a happy ending. There had been happi _ness_ , but the dark had never disappeared completely.

To her, fate was some magical force that dictated your life. As if your actions were not your own; they had already been decided. She hated that idea. Not having a choice. Like your life was a story in a book. Each page capturing a single moment, where you could turn back and reread the page, allowing that moment to exist forever. Yet still, the characters were incapable of escaping the inevitable outcome, whether it be good or bad.

She hoped her life was not a mere fairy-tale, because Peter was seen by many as a villain.

And Cassandra knew what fate had in store for villains.

"Will he ever remember me?" She sat on the edge of the seat next to Peter.

"Miss Blanchard once took a similar potion that she acquired from me." He responded gruffly. "The potion won't wear off, it can only be broken."

"And how would that happen?" She asked sarcastically.

"How do you think? The way all spells are broken."

She laughed grimly. "True Love's kiss." She carefully brushed the hair from Peter's eyes. Her voice cracked. "What is it that makes love True?"

"It's pure." He answered, deep in thought. "The more pure, the more True. It is not controlled or forced. When a person is willing to give their life to protect the one they love, then it is True."

"Is your love True?" She wondered. He seemed to be thinking of someone as he spoke, and of who else but Belle.

He realised he was having a heart-to-heart with the enemy and turned cold. "That's none of your business." He said bluntly. She decided to give him some advice before he shut off from her completely.

"I should tell you that this cuff isn't going to work." She said absentmindedly, her fingers tracing along Peter's cheek. Rumpel stiffened, terror flashing across his face. "So if your plan was to have your little chat and then kill him, think again." Her tone was soft, contrasting with the threat of her words.

"The cuff was for Henry's safety, for everyone's." He objected.

"Don't try and feed me lies. I can tell the difference between consideration and self-preservation." Cassandra looked away from Peter and stared at Rumpel. "Whatever you want from him, he can't give it to you. You expect some great answer to explain why he did what he did... but the truth is, nothing he could ever say would make you forgive him."

The weary man stared back, and her words hit something inside him. Cassandra watched him carefully, seeing the stubborn look in his eyes evolve into surrender. He realised the battle was lost. Deflated, he dragged himself after the others. Cassandra's eyes lingered on the doorway and as she heard a sudden breath, they fluttered to the boy beside her.

"You again?" He glared at her. "I see you managed to escape from that pathetic prison." He sat up. Cassandra's heart twisted uncomfortably like someone was wringing out a cloth.

"I'm not going to ask who you are, I don't care. But what I do want to know is, why are you _here_?" He spat out the words, using the tone that he had never _ever_ used on her. The unfamiliarity in the look he gave her, she couldn't bare it.

She wanted so desperately to believe their love was True. She knew she loved him. She gave up her brother's life, so he could live. She would do anything she could to protect him. But would Peter do the same? He hadn't killed her so that he could cast the curse... but if he didn't discover the loophole, would he have done the same?

True Love, like fate, was a thing of fairy-tales. And in those fairy-tales, it was reciprocated. Did that mean that unconditional love needed to be mutual if it were to be considered True? Or was it simply because those stories, made for happier endings.

Before she had a chance to doubt herself, Cassandra pressed her lips to Peter's. At first, the sensation was odd, his mouth remained unresponsive. She held herself there a moment longer awkwardly; a kiss had never felt so forced and mechanical. And then, just as she was about to retreat in shame, he kissed back. His lips parted and their mouths began to move against each other perfectly. She felt something flood her body, trickling down to her toes and climbing all the way to the top of her head.

And then the kiss grew hungry. Peter's hand knotted into her hair and he pulled her closer. Fire scorched her skin and her heart was erupting; an endless frenzy of euphoria swarming in her chest. It was completely and utterly electrifying.

When she reluctantly dragged her lips from his touch, their eyes immediately met. Peter was still for a moment, his chest lifting slightly with his small, quick breaths. And then, he smiled at her- a small but tender smile, that made her feel like the greatest person in the world.

"Cassie."

The way her name rolled off his tongue, it rang in her ears. Every time it was spoken she felt like she was hearing it for the first time. No word had ever sounded so enchanting.

She beamed and buried her face in the crook of his neck. She knew she needed to talk with him and persuade him to see sense. But in that instant, all she wanted, was to bask in the relief that he was okay. His hands moved to her back, clutching her to him tightly.

The current situation was looming over her and finally, she pulled herself away. Peter's face dropped when he saw her smile falter. "Peter." She whispered. She didn't know where to begin. Mentioning that she knew of his deception throughout her life? No- she felt as though she had forgiven him a long time ago; she needed to ask about something more recent. The Curse or Felix. Curse or Felix. They were one and the same really. So Cassandra chose three simple words that would capture everything she could possibly say. Expressing all the hurt and confusion that she felt, because of him.

"I trusted you."

Part of her wanted to take those words back immediately. She could see the pain they caused him. Trust was a commodity so invaluable. Trust could be snatched away so quickly and yet it could take some people a lifetime to build. Its fickle nature had been discovered early on. The only person you could truly trust was yourself. And so the pair of them had... until they found each other.

Then those plans became obsolete.

Knowing that they trusted only each other completely, revealing their weaknesses, it trapped them. They couldn't trick or deceive the other. Not because they could ruin them, but rather that they didn't want to. They had been caught, tangled up in a web of sentiment. And the worse part was...

They liked it.

Love was for the naive. Trust had so much more worth. You could love someone, knowing they're no good for you. You could love someone even after they broke your trust time and time again. You could love someone even if it killed you.

Saying you loved someone, did it really mean much? Not through her eyes. Not through Peter's.

Peter swung his legs off the seat inhaled deeply. Finally, he let his breath go and began to speak.

"I didn't want to, I could hear your voice in my head screaming no over and _over_ again. But it was the only way to cast The Curse. All magic comes with a price, and that price was Felix's life."

"It should have been my life."

He shook his head. "I couldn't live with that. Besides," There was a playful hint to his voice. "If I can have The Curse _and_ keep you then why not."

"Do you regret it?" Her voice wavered, almost fearful of discovering the answer.

"It's like you said to Rumpel, that question... has no right answer." Although she had anticipated that response, disappointment still weighed heavily in her chest. She could sense an underlying tone of smugness, he was _proud_ that he'd gotten around the price of the great Curse which even Regina couldn't escape.

"You don't need to cast it."

His eyes shot to her, offended by her reply. "Of course I do." He took her hand, enclosing it within two of his. "The Curse would freeze time and we could be young forever."

"Why are you still obsessed with youth?" She glanced down at her hand gripped between his palms. "We've been children for long enough Peter. We've all been paying a price on Neverland, don't make us pay one here too."

"They wouldn't let us stay here." He sneered. "Why would they? They have nothing to gain, only something to lose." Grinning darkly, he withdrew his arms and instantly her hand felt cold. "It's too late now anyway, nobody can stop it."

"Well that's not true." She blurted. "Regina's out there undoing it right now."

The shock on Peter's face. He jumped up and immediately marched out of the shop without another word. Cassandra slouched, on her own in the silence of the shop. She groaned into her hands wondering when things had become so…complicated.

Suddenly, she bolted upright.

"Crap!" She chased after the boy before he could wreak havoc. Whilst the forefront of her mind was in a panic as it addressed the urgency of the situation, the corner in the back of her head was giddy. It kept smiling at the realisation.

It was _True Love_.

/

"Look at you all." Peter marvelled at the statues: Prince Charming and Snow White; Baelfire; Belle; The Evil Queen; The Saviour; Captain Hook; The Truest Believer; and the great Rumpelstiltskin. "A captive audience."

Cassandra edged out of Gold's shop, assessing the situation; she spotted The Curse in his grip. Peter winked at her before returning his attention to the group.

"Thinking you could defeat me with a scrap of leather-bound metal." He held up his wrist and removed the cuff. "Sorry to disappoint." He tossed it to Cassandra, bringing her to everyone's attention. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what Peter's aim was.

He sauntered towards the frozen people, scroll in hand, grinning at the looks on their faces. "I could play with you like a pack of dolls, couldn't I? I think I'll start with these two." He indicated to Belle and Baelfire. He could sense the rage in Rumpel's eyes and he smirked. "Hmm. You both look so adorable. Hard to tell who to kill first." He said, flickering his gaze between the pair.

Panic sliced through Cassandra's body. She really hoped he was teasing, but she wouldn't put it past him. Suddenly, Cassandra noticed Rumpel's hand twitched. He was breaking free.

Peter's voice grew low. "No, it isn't." He pointed to Neal. "You. You first."

Cassandra darted forward as Rumpel raised his hand. She leapt for his arm and they were knocked to the tarmac. Peter, startled, looked immediately to the commotion. Rumpel shoved the blonde off him and clambered to his feet.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt him." Cassandra shouted from the ground.

"That was only your mother, dearie. I never made any such promise." He glared at Peter and abruptly his expression became confused. He glanced to his wrist and saw the cuff latched around it.

"No, no." He mumbled, his fingers clawing at the object. His attempts were futile and his eyes glazed over.

A laugh cut through the silence and Rumpel glanced up to see Pan beaming at him. "Oh Rumpel, still the coward you've always been."

"Peter that's enough." Cassandra told him.

"Afraid of everything without his magic."

"Peter. Please."

"Are you even able to protect your family?" Peter moved closer to Baelfire and lifted his hand.

"Stay away from them." Rumpel snarled and grabbed Cassandra. She squeaked in shock as she felt cold metal pressed to her throat. She quickly patted against her pockets... yes, it was her own dagger against her neck. She was relatively calm, she doubted Rumpel would actually harm her... Correction: she doubted Rumpel would _seriously_ harm her.

And even if he did. Physical pain was temporary. Her heart would never stop and Peter would be able to heal her.

Her greater concern was Peter watching her suffer. She didn't want him to have to endure that.

"How about this?" Peter spoke, still seeming in control of the situation. "Threatening the life of your granddaughter to save your son. Would you actually do it Rumpel? Could Baelfire live with you after you killed his only daughter?"

"You doubt me? After everything I have done. After the _countless_ I have killed." He pushed against the blade. Any harder and he'd draw blood. "Are you afraid Peter Pan? Or did you never truly care for her?" He was clearly trying to get some sort of reaction from the boy. But Peter's mask remained fixed.

"You kill her and your son will never forgive you, The Curse will take effect and I can rule once again. Doesn't seem too detrimental for me." He said coldly.

Cassandra scrutinized him, perplexed. She couldn't tell how serious he was. Normally she'd assume it was part of his plan, he was trying to trick Rumpel. But in Peter's eyes, he wasn't worried about her. Not in the slightest.

"What's my alternative?" He pointed out.

"You could let me have my toy, and maybe I'll give you a marginally better life." He grinned.

"I should have known." He lowered the blade and shoved Cassandra to the ground. Walking towards Peter, he sneered. "You never cared for anyone. For a moment there I thought you had gone soft."

"Really Rumpel, you should know not to underestimate me." He signalled to those still frozen in place. "Perhaps now you'll finally learn your lesson. Peter Pan never fails."

Cassandra scraped sharp stones from her palms as she stood up. She looked up the road and spotted a small crowd moving slowly towards them. And by small, she meant small in height. The Lost Boys grew closer and laid a body on the floor. She dashed to her friend's side, kneeling on the road.

"Hey Felix." She smiled sadly at his shut eyes. "You're missing out on all the action, you lazy oaf. So you don't have a heart, who cares? Did you really have one to begin with?" She chuckled and her vision began to blur. "C'mon Felix," She shook his shoulder. "Just this once, let Peter Pan have failed."

/

"You've hurt my family before," Rumpel growled. "And I am never letting that happen again."

"And how are you going to do that?" Peter smiled mockingly. "You're a coward Rumpel. That's all you ever have been. And it's all you will ever be."

"See that's where you're wrong." The man declared. "I've found someone that I love." He looked to Belle, tenderness in his eyes. "More than words can describe. And I was given the chance to reunite with my son, someone who I love so much yet let my cowardice get between us." His gaze flickered to Baelfire. "I need to ensure their happiness. I won't let my fear ruin anything ever again. Because in my experience, love can give even the greatest cowards courage."

Peter was still not convinced. Even if the threat was real. There wasn't any way he could be killed without magic, he was too strong for that.

"Shall I fill you in?" Rumpel smirked. "There was a prophecy- I do know how you love those- Henry would be my undoing. It is the price of keeping him safe. No loopholes, not anymore. I'm finally willing to pay the price."

"Prices come with magic." Peter pointed out, amused by his naive spirit. "Something you don't have."

"Oh, but I don't need it. You see, you may have lost your shadow, but there's one thing you're forgetting."

"And what's that?"

Rumpel looked at Peter triumphantly. "So have I." His eyes were wild and it put Peter on edge. "I sent it away with something to hide." He raised his hand in the air.

Peter became paranoid, what was this clever plan of Rumpel's... he couldn't work it out. He saw a shadow swoop down from the sky. It was holding something. By the time Peter figured out what it was, the dagger had already been placed in Rumpel's hand. Dread filled him. Before the boy could run out of reach, Rumpel grabbed him, tightly holding him to his chest.

Alarm bells sounded in Peter's head. He squirmed and thrashed, trying to break free, but the man's hold was too tight.

"What are you doing!" He yelled. Peter looked over Rumpel's shoulder and saw Cassie crouching by Felix's body. She was already in pain, and it was because of him. He needed to save her. He had to.

"You see, the only way for you to die, is if we both die."

"No, no Rumpel no!" Peter pleaded. He saw the blonde stand up and spin around. Peter met her eyes and her face dropped. Immediately she was in motion, racing towards the pair. But Peter knew, she wouldn't be fast enough.

"And now... now, I am ready." Rumpel sliced the blade downwards. Peter cried out in anguish.

Cassandra screamed as the metal pierced Peter's back. Her hand flew up to her chest as her heart was ripped apart. So much pain. Everything hurt. She fell, her knees bashing against the concrete.

Peter watched her fall and his heart felt as if it were exploding.

None of his major organs had been impaled. Apart from the heart.

How could he have been so stupid.

The scroll slipped through his grip and Rumpel, who had also stabbed himself, turned to dust. The spell broke and the Storybrooke residents regained control of their bodies. Belle collapsed to the floor in grief. The others all clearly shocked too.

They were also bewildered, as to why Peter was still existing, and why he was racing towards Cassandra who lay on the ground.

Peter didn't care what they thought. He needed to save her.

He rushed forwards and dived beside her. Her breathing was shallow and rapid. He gripped her hand. "Cassie." He leant over her, searching her face. "Cassie!"

"Peter." She whispered, smiling. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she blinked. "H-how?" She wanted to know how he was still alive. That was impossible.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"You're bleeding." She feebly traced the red blotch on his shirt.

"It's stopped. I healed it. I'm fine, I'm fine, I promise." He frantically reassured her. He needed her to stop worrying about him when she was the one who couldn't stand.

"Why does everything hurt?" She winced, her voice gradually becoming quieter.

"Shh, don't waste your energy. Everything is going to be fine." He rested his hand over her chest. The heart still beating strongly.

Because it was his heart.

He surged magic through her body, and the heart. But nothing happened.

"Peter." She croaked. "What's going on?"

"Cassie." His voice was beginning to break. Never had he been so helpless. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry."

"I-I'm fine. I wasn't hurt." She explained, although she was evidently in a lot of pain. Her lips moved, trying to speak. Peter leaned closer, moving his ear near her mouth.

"I trust you."

Peter pulled back and looked into her eyes. Those forgiving eyes. Those eyes that had seen so much. So much pain and torment. The life she had before Neverland. That was his fault. The confliction she experienced when she found out he had been lying to her since the beginning, that was his fault too.

Her whole life, how it turned out, was his fault. And now, so was her death.

He pulled her onto his lap, stroking the tangled curls. She possessed an inexplicable beauty. The kind that radiated from the soul. Magic could make anyone beautiful, a spell or two was all it took. But still, all they would be was a pretty face. Cassie however, her skin was almost translucent- all the effort she had exerted over the past months had taken its toll- and deep purple ravines curved under her eyes. She had scars, faded but still visible, leaving silver streams on her skin. And her hair, there were few words to describe the mess she had let it become, never wanting to cut it. Yet still, despite all of this. She was beautiful. Because she was his Cassie. And she always would be.

The chasm in his chest, where her heart should be beating, was empty. He had been trying to protect her. Never had he met anyone so worth his love and trust. He meant it when he said he'd rather die than lose her. So he had switched their hearts. A long time ago, before she left Neverland. He hadn't told her. It was safer that way. She was fragile, could be harmed by an ordinary sword or arrow. And against magic... she stood no chance.

Who was more likely to be injured. The powerful Peter Pan, or his vulnerable Cassie? If she was harmed... it was his heart that would be injured. It would be him that died.

How badly that plan turned out.

The Dark One's dagger had pierced her heart in Peter's chest. There was nothing he could do to heal her; the blade's power was already turning her heart to dust. He thought to merge his heart to her body. But it would kill him before he completed the transfer.

Her last breath passed her lips and Peter watched the life vanish from her eyes. He lifted her torso, cradling her head, and squeezed her to him tightly.

All magic had a price.

And he had paid it.


	14. Epilogue

**A/N: So to those shocked by the last chapter... I apologise. Here's the epilogue as promised :)**

"I don't understand." Emma stepped forward. Pan slowly looked towards her. He saw a fairly large ring had formed around them: the people he had just frozen, and the Lost Boys. An inaudible gasp left Emma's lips as she saw his bloodshot eyes. He looked truly vulnerable. It was then that Emma realised, as did everyone else watching...

It wasn't a lie. And she wasn't a game. She was just a girl, a girl that he loved.

And he was mourning her.

"I thought I was keeping her safe." He whispered, turning back to the body in his arms.

Emma gingerly moved towards him. That girl was also her daughter- she had wanted to give her, her best chance. She crouched by the boy, expecting some sort of protest. Instead he lay Cassandra on the ground once again, allowing her mother to say goodbye.

Because Cassie had never had one, and she absolutely deserved one.

Stuffing an object in his pocket, Peter stood and marched away. He couldn't bear to look into her empty eyes any longer. The barrier split allowing him to pass through easily; he didn't spare any glances to the Lost Boys who watched him pass, each of whom were in shock.

He kept walking unaware of where he was walking to, the sad truth echoing loudly in his head.

His feet ended up taking him to the docks. He sat on the edge, his legs dangling over the water that subtly bobbed up and down. He stuck his hand into his pocket. Opening his fist, he admired the locket, the chain looped around his fingers. He grabbed the jewellery with his other hand, and clenched it tightly. Raising his arm behind his head, he prepared to pelt it into the water.

He gritted his teeth, groaning in frustration as he tried to move his hand. At last, the limb dropped to his side. He slumped backwards, his back laying on damp wood as he looked up at the sky.

She was gone.

Now that he thought about it, he probably needed to retrieve his heart from her body before it began to weaken and stop. Regina's mother had kept dozens of hearts outside of their owner's body, but his heart wouldn't last when trapped inside a corpse.

Honestly, Peter didn't care all too much. In fact, he didn't care at all. He welcomed death, he could see her again. Although, she'd certainly be angry with him for giving up. He could picture the furrow of her brows, the crease on her forehead as she frowned. Trying to hide that she was secretly pleased to see him.

The stomping of feet could be heard, quickly getting closer and closer. Peter tilted his head backwards even further and saw Hook running towards him. "Pan!" He came to a halt, catching his breath. "The curse has been undone-"

"And you've come to gloat?" He sighed.

"No. To give you a chance." Hook ignored the boy's scoff. "Because, everyone will be returned to the realm they were in before the curse, including Cassandra."

Peter did not react. He was already so numb.

"Listen to me, you're not going to see her ever again. So for bloody sake, say goodbye before you miss your chance and regret it."

"You _hated_ her, and loathed me even more. Why would you give me such a courtesy?"

"I know what it's like to lose someone you love. Nobody deserves that. Not even scum like you."

"So it's nothing to do with the fact that you're trying to worm your way into her mother's life?" He sneered and then suddenly, an idea sparked in his head. He bolted past Hook before the pirate could reply. Eventually Peter heard footsteps as he caught up.

"They're headed to the town line." Hook picked up his pace. "This way."

The unlikely pair ran through the town side by side, reaching the group of residents.

A small yellow car was parked in front of the white marking on the ground. Peter saw the back of Emma's head and headed towards her. An arm blocked his path. The Evil Queen. She scowled at him slightly although the expression was swiftly replaced. Sorrow and understanding took its place.

She held out her other arm. "I think you'll be needing this." She dropped a heart into his hand and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Her body wouldn't be able to sustain it much longer."

Peter nodded and shoved the organ into his chest. He gasped as he doubled over in pain. Emma spotted him and came over.

"Pan?"

"Its his heart." Regina said. "You're more numb without it. With it... you feel _everything_." The dark-haired woman walked away.

"Pan, I-" Emma began.

"Before you say anything," Peter stopped her, gasping as he tried to shove away the pain. "I need you to open this." He dangled the locket from its chain.

"That's Cassandra's locket. Why would-"

"Blood magic."

Emma gently took the object from him. She rubbed her thumb over the dull metal. "What's inside?"

"I guess you'll find out." He tried so hard not to roll his eyes. Honestly, he did.

Curiosity getting the better of her, the woman clicked open the locket. She gawked at the object inside.

"And she had this the whole time?"

"She developed an emotional attachment to it." Peter explained. "She wasn't going to give it up to someone she'd just met to save- well- the brother she'd just met."

"Then why are you giving this to us now?"

"I'm not." He reached for the bean but Emma closed her fist and held it against her chest.

"Then what are _you_ going to use it for."

The boy sighed. "To see her again." He noticed the befuddled look on Emma's face. "A magic bean can take you to any realm." He elaborated. "And it sure as hell can take me to the underworld."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I'm afraid I'm not, Saviour." He held out his hand.

"You're going to try and bring her back." The woman's eyes widened.

"Believing one can overcome death, it's a childish notion isn't it?" He shook his head, chuckling wryly. "No, I'm not that young anymore, like she said, it's time to grow up."

"So... what, you're just going to _live_ in the underworld?"

"Now you've got it." He smirked.

"What about the Lost Boys?" Henry toddled over. "They need you."

"No Henry, they don't. Not anymore. They made that clear the moment they sold me out. But Andie didn't, she never helped you to defeat me. I'm alive because of her and I'm not going to let her be alone."

"Then don't." Henry reached for his mother's closed hand.

"Henry. We could use it to go to the Enchanted Forest," Emma refused to release such a valuable item. "We could be with our family."

"We _will_ be with them. Good always finds a way." He assured her. "But this isn't it." He tugged again and this time she let him take the magic bean. The boy gently handed it to Peter.

"Everyone deserves a happy ending."

Peter nodded in thanks and Henry dragged his mother away by the arm. Peter paced to the two bodies lying on the ground. The Lost Boys crouched next to them shuffled back as they spotted Peter.

He knew he didn't have long; he could see the green clouds tumbling towards them.

"Okay Cassie." He whispered. "I know how you hate not knowing things, so here's what's going to happen." He gripped her hand, confused by how it still managed to comfort him. "They're going to undo the curse, not just my curse, but the original. Your body will be sent to where you were before... and for you, that means where you grew up.

Nobody can go with you. Your body will arrive on its own, no one to bury you. But I swear, _you_ are not alone. I'm coming, Cassie. I will always come back to you." He bent down over her, kissing her hairline. "Felix's company must be driving you mad." He half-expected her to smile, as if she were only pretending to sleep.

He shot a look to Felix. He waited to see if he felt remorse. But there was nothing. Just a blank slate. How was it possible, to feel nothing for the friend he knew for decades, and feel everything for the girl he knew for only one.

With one last look at the girl he loved to impossible depths, he strode to a clear section of the road. The magic bean flew from his hand, bouncing on the hard ground before being swallowed in the swirling abyss of a portal.

 _I'm coming_.

To be truthful, he had no idea if this would work. But there was no other way. He had to hope. An image of her deep brown eyes smiling at him passed over his vision and suddenly, their entire time together flashed through his mind.

Her furious blush as he purposely brushed his hand against hers; the moment he realised he'd begun to blush too; the day her coy smile disappeared and she reached for his hand, smirking at his surprise; her beaming face as she danced through the jungle, her laugh chiming through the trees; the nervous look in her eyes as his lips brushed hers for the first time; the frantic beating of his heart every time they kissed; the content smile on her lips as she slept in his arms; the day she had to leave, the pain she tried to bury; the day she came back, flinging her arms around his neck.

All of it was Cassie. Every decision she made. Every flaw and quirk. Every mannerism. Every word. Every aspect of her was beautiful, and as Peter jumped through the portal, he knew he would find her. Nothing, not even death, could keep them apart...

For he was hers and she was his.

 **A/N: There it is. I've loved writing this, and I will be writing a sequel, although it will take quite some time to refine the plot. This isn't how I envisioned the ending when I started, but now I can't imagine it ending any other way. It used to be a question of whether Peter would die. If he did, Cassie's place in the plot would have been pointless. Their love for each other had to have some impact. The only way to show** ** _how much_** **Peter cared, would be to see how hard he tried to protect her and witness the heartbreak when it was this protection that killed her.**


End file.
